Jon Scheyer's Portal Mastery: Duke's Powerhouse

0:00On April 27, Portal seasons winding down, and it's clear who's mastering roster building. Coaches like John Shire at Duke are killing in, while others like Jerome Tang, Scott Drew, Hubert Davis, and Mark Pope are struggling hard. Shires got the formula down pat, blending top high school recruits with smart portal grabs. He's still pulling in elite freshmen like Cooper Flag and Condoeple, who bounce after a year, but keeps studs like Tyree's Proctor and Isaiah Evans. Around longer. Then he layers and perfect fits from the portal, starting with Ryan Young from Northwestern back in 2023, who became a star. Basketball fans are buzzing about Duke's Lotus Quad, calling it the most stacked in the country. Shires not just throwing money at big names, he's fixing specific needs, like front court defense or steady scoring, which sets him apart from the peck. This off season, he added Jack Scott, if he euphacoucou, Belmont's Drew Sharnowski for that rim protection, and Wisconsin's John Blackwell for reliable.

1:03Offense. Guys like Malik Brown, Sion James, and Mason Gillis from last year prove the strategy works. Meanwhile, spots like Kentucky, North Carolina, and Kansas are lagging behind. Shires quietly rewriting how you build a powerhouse in this new era.