Duke announces return of Sebastian Wilkins for 2026-27 season

Duke freshman forward Sebastian Wilkins will be returning to the Blue Devils for the 2026-27 season, the team announced Tuesday afternoon. Wilkins has all four seasons of collegiate eligibility remaining after redshirting last season.

Wilkins is just the latest member of Duke’s 2025-26 Elite Eight team to announce plans to come back. He joins recent declarations from freshman wing Cayden Boozer and sophomore center Pat Ngongba, who announced their respective returns last week.

The 6-foot-8, 220-pound Wilkins signed with Duke as a four-star prospect in the 2025 recruiting cycle out of Brewster Academy (Wolfeboro, NH). He was the No. 10 power forward in the class and No. 60 player overall, according to the Rivals Industry Ranking, a weighted composite of all three major recruiting media services.

Duke coach Jon Scheyer announced plans to redshirt Wilkins, who reclassified last May to join the Blue Devils a year early, following the team’s home opener in early November. Wilkins, a Boston native, was originally rated as a top 20 overall player and one of the top power forwards in the 2026 cycle before reclassifying for 2025 last summer.

“You know, Sebastian Wilkins and I, we’ve had some great conversations. We’re planning on redshirting him, okay,” Scheyer said postgame following Duke’s 95-64 win over Western Carolina on Nov. 8. “We really believe in his development, and (are) big believer in, you know, obviously, there’s value to some game experience — like he would’ve gotten some game experience tonight. But, to save that eligibility is the right thing for him, and it’s the right thing for our program where he can focus on his body, his game — just everything where he can be ready to go for us (next season.)”

For the second straight year, Duke boasts the No. 1 incoming recruiting class. The incoming group of Blue Devils includes three five-star prospects, including Cam Williams, the No. 3 overall player in the 2026 recruiting cycle, according to the Rivals Industry Rankings.

Cayden Boozer, Pat Ngongba announce return to Duke for 2026-27 season

Boozer, the twin brother of Duke forward and projected Top 5 NBA Draft pick Cameron Boozer, started 11 of his 38 games in 2025-26. While not the elite scoring threat his brother is, Cayden Boozer still averaged 7.7 points, 2.3 rebounds and 3.0 assists in 22.8 minutes per game, while shooting 50.0% from the field and 30.3% from beyond the arc.

Cayden Boozer hit his stride late in Duke’s 2025-26 season and was instrumental in the team’s ACC Tournament victory. He also played well in the NCAA Tournament, but ended the season in disappointment when his turnover in the closing seconds of Duke’s Elite Eight game led directly to the now-infamous game-winning 3-pointer from UConn’s Braylon Mullins. 

Meanwhile, Ngongba broke out in his second season with the Blue Devils. In 32 games, he averaged 10.2 points, 5.8 rebounds, and two assists per game while shot 60.6% from the floor.

— On3’s Grant Grubbs contributed to this report.