Following their heartbreaking exit in the Elite Eight of the 2026 NCAA Tournament, Jon Scheyer is wasting no time reloading his Duke Blue Devils in hopes of once again contending for a national championship.
Coach Scheyer hit the transfer portal to add a star mid-major forward who could surprise fans with his relentless defensive ability and high motor, a style of player who certainly meshes with the Duke formula.
Belmont Star Drew Scharnowski Commits to Duke
With the expected departure of star forward Cameron Boozer as a projected top-three pick in the 2026 NBA Draft, Duke had a hole to fill at the forward position. Filling the shoes of the Naismith Player of the Year recipient would be nearly impossible for anyone that Scheyer were to bring in, but that is unlikely to be asked of Duke’s newest transfer.
Belmont’s Drew Scharnowski has committed to Duke for the upcoming college basketball season, and if the 6-foot-9 power forward can even remotely replicate Boozer’s abilities on the defensive end, the Blue Devils will be in good hands.
Scouting report on Duke-bound Drew Scharnowski from a college coach in the league:
Strengths: “He’s different. He plays with a super-high motor, good versatility defensively. Good athlete who can switch multiple coverages. He’s a really good passer and can face up and play off… https://t.co/Ce5MVd3fDG
— Jeff Goodman (@GoodmanHoops) April 19, 2026
A coach who faced off against Scharnowski gave a scouting report to college basketball analyst Jeff Goodman.
“He’s different,” the coach told Goodman. “He plays with a super-high motor, good versatility defensively. Good athlete who can switch multiple coverages. He’s a really good passer and can face up and play off the bounce.”
MORE: Duke Basketball Transfer Portal News: Complete List of Players Leaving and Joining Blue Devils
The coach did explain that “the biggest question for him is his perimeter shooting,” as he attempted just seven 3-pointers over the last two seasons and shot 14.3% from deep.
However, under the strict leadership of Scheyer and his coaching staff, there is ample opportunity to grow.
If you have not seen Drew Scharnowski play a ton then you are in for a surprise
Certified demon, lanky high energy forward, great defender, super aggressive. Not afraid to let people know either, such a classic *Duke* fit in the best way possible pic.twitter.com/PJA8lEcvVo https://t.co/iaNnNoqj5r
— Ryan Hammer🔨 (@ryanhammer09) April 19, 2026
College basketball content creator Ryan Hammer referred to Scharnowski as a “certified demon” while sharing a highlight reel of his dunks and explaining that fans who are unfamiliar with his game will be in for quite the surprise.
Scharnowski appeared in 30 games for Belmont during his sophomore year, including 24 starts. The star forward averaged 10.7 points per game alongside a team-high 6.0 rebounds and 2.6 assists in 21.8 minutes per game. He also led the Bruins with 1.3 blocks per game en route to winning the Missouri Valley regular-season title.
Last season, Scharnonwski earned First Team All-Missouri Valley Conference and All-Defense Team honors.
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Scheyer may have found himself a diamond in the rough of the Missouri Valley Conference, and it’s possible that he is poised for a significant leap with the Blue Devils.
He hopes this will go down as another classic Duke transfer acquisition as the defending ACC Champions look to defend their title and continue to be a serious threat come March.
