Duke lands five-star Italian wing Dame Sarr: International sensation fills critical gap on Blue Devils roster
Italian wing Dame Sarr committed to Duke on Thursday, filling a critical position of need for Jon Scheyer and the Blue Devils. Sarr, a 6-foot-8 wing with a monster 7-foot wingspan, is a strong candidate to be a first-round pick in the 2026 NBA Draft thanks to his blend of athleticism, shot-making and defensive potential.
Sarr played for Spain powerhouse FC Barcelona and is another well-known face of the international invasion coming to college basketball in 2025-26 to cash in on the money rush in the sport.
The decision was spurred by the growing likelihood that prized Washington State transfer Cedric Coward, who committed to the Blue Devils earlier this month, would not make it to Durham after an enormous showing at last week's NBA Draft Combine in Chicago.
The buzz around Coward has reached fevered pitch, and he is positioned to be a potential first-round pick in next month's NBA Draft. So, Duke pivoted to Sarr, who was on the verge of picking Kansas before the recent developments with Coward.
Scheyer built the tallest team in college basketball last year, and he is running it back with a similar roster-construction blueprint that features plus positional size all over the floor.
Duke is one of five high-major teams projected to start five players who are 6-foot-4 or taller.
Duke's projected starting 5G Caleb Foster (6-foot-5)
Wing Isaiah Evans (6-foot-6)
Wing Dame Sarr (6-foot-8)
F Cam Boozer (6-foot-9)
F Maliq Brown (6-foot-9) OR Patrick Ngongba (6-foot-11)
Inside the international bonanza this offseasonThe money boom in college basketball is behind the trend that's seeing international stars flock to the states. Some college teams can pay up to 10 times what European clubs offer. The consensus is that college basketball has become the second-best league in the world, behind the NBA, so it's natural that college basketball roster-building has started to emulate the NBA's scour-the-globe approach.
International clubs, especially in Europe, are scrambling to figure out ways to keep talent close to home, but money talks. The NCAA is scrambling to figure out eligibility red tape.
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