Duke basketball has secured a replacement for Cedric Coward, as Italian shooting guard Dame Sarr has officially committed to the Blue Devils. This is a significant pickup for head coach Jon Scheyer, as Sarr adds size on defense and a reliable outside shot to the roster for next season.
There was some uncertainty surrounding the timing of Sarr’s announcement. While Duke was widely seen as the frontrunner, the commitment didn’t come immediately after his campus visit earlier this week.
Sarr emerged unexpectedly as a Duke target. Initially, he was being pursued by Duke, Kansas, Illinois, and Oregon, but interest seemed to cool once Duke landed star transfer Cedric Coward from Washington State.
However, once it became evident that Coward was likely to remain in the 2025 NBA Draft and not return to college, Scheyer ramped up his pursuit of Sarr and ultimately secured his commitment.
Kansas was initially considered the favorite to land the former FC Barcelona standout. 247Sports insider Travis Branham even projected Sarr to commit to Bill Self’s program following his visit to Lawrence. But that prediction was quickly withdrawn when reports surfaced that Duke had reentered the picture in a serious way and had become the leading candidate.
Standing at 6’8″ with a seven-foot wingspan, Sarr is an ideal fit for Duke’s wing position. He can stretch the floor with his shooting and offers strong defensive potential. In 15 EuroLeague games and 12 appearances in Liga ACB, he averaged 3.5 points and 1.1 rebounds, shooting an efficient 53.7% from the field and 44.8% from three-point range. He profiles as a classic 3-and-D wing and is expected to slot in at small forward next to guards Caleb Foster and Isaiah Evans.
That said, Duke’s lineup for next season will be extremely young. Junior Caleb Foster is set to be the only upperclassman in the starting five, and none of the returning players have demonstrated elite-level production on a team with championship aspirations.
While the Blue Devils’ roster will be packed with talent and upside, the lack of experience raises some concerns. Still, securing a commitment from an international talent like Sarr is a major win for the program.