Despite being nearly two weeks into the NCAA Transfer Portal cycle being open, the Duke basketball program still sits with tons of uncertainty regarding which key rotation pieces from the 2025-26 squad will be back with the program next year.
So far, head coach Jon Scheyer and his staff have received news that freshman point guard Cayden Boozer will return to Duke for his sophomore campaign. The Blue Devils have lost sophomore Darren Harris and freshman Nik Khamenia to the transfer portal, as the two have committed to Indiana and UConn, respectively.
Scheyer and Co. are still awaiting decisions from Caleb Foster, Isaiah Evans, Patrick Ngongba, and Dame Sarr. Evans and Ngongba specifically, at least to what is known, are mulling between a return to Durham or declaring for the 2026 NBA Draft. As of now, it feels fairly up in the air where they are leaning.
Now, this move by UConn freshman Braylon Mullins could give Duke fans hope that Evans and/or Ngongba will return to college basketball next season.
Braylon Mullins Announces Return to UConn for Sophomore Season
Mullins has announced that he will forego the 2026 NBA Draft and return to the Huskies for a sophomore campaign. The rookie sharpshooter and former 5-star recruit was viewed as a potential first-round pick in this summer's draft.
Across his freshman season at UConn, the 6'6" wing averaged 12.0 points and 3.5 rebounds per game on 42.1% shooting from the field and 33.5% shooting from three-point range on 6.5 attempts a night. Mullins was responsible for drilling the dagger three in the Elite Eight against Duke that ultimately ended the Blue Devils' season.
NEWS: UConn guard Braylon Mullins is returning for his sophomore season, source told @On3.
The 6-6 freshman averaged 12.0 PPG this season and hit the game-winning shot over Duke to send the Huskies to the Final Four. https://t.co/MeNrk7MlASpic.twitter.com/N08I3zVXOj
– Joe Tipton (@JoeTipton) April 18, 2026
Why This Move Affects Duke
Mullins had a similar draft projection as Evans and Ngongba, around the end of the first round and potentially into the late teens or early 20s. The argument for Mullins to return to UConn is very similar to that of Evans and Ngongba to return to Duke.
There's a great chance that Mullins' paycheck with the Huskies next season is higher than what his first-year NBA salary would've been had he been selected at the end of the first round, where he was projected to go. Additionally, the 2027 draft class is viewed as a very wide-open draft, whereas the 2025 freshman class is regarded as potentially the most talented freshman class in the history of college basketball.
Mullins elected to return to school for a big paycheck and an opportunity to boost his draft stock even more. A few years ago, this would've been a shocking move, but in today's NIL era, that is no longer the case. Duke fans should have a little more hope with Evans and Ngongba after Mullins' decision.
This article was originally published on www.si.com/college/duke as How Braylon Mullins' Return Impacts Duke Roster Movement.