Duke basketball fans have plenty of reason to be excited this offseason. College basketball analyst Andy Katz has released his first preseason power rankings, and the Blue Devils sit comfortably at No. 1.

While Duke did see key players like Cameron Boozer, Isaiah Evans, and Nik Khamenia move on, the program reloaded in a big way. The Blue Devils landed some of the top names from the 2026 recruiting class, including five-star talents Cameron Williams, Bryson Howard, and Deron Rippey Jr. But the real buzz comes from the transfer portal, where Duke added a proven star in John Blackwell.

Blackwell, who transferred from Wisconsin, put together an impressive junior campaign, averaging 19.1 points, 5.1 rebounds, 2.3 assists, and 1.1 steals per game. He also brings a serious threat from beyond the arc, shooting 38.9% from three-point range on 7.3 attempts per game. That kind of efficiency and volume will be a huge asset for Duke's offense.

Rounding out Katz's top five are Florida, Michigan, Illinois, and Tennessee, with UConn not far behind at No. 6. But for now, all eyes are on Durham, where the Blue Devils are once again poised to make a deep run.