The Duke Blue Devils will face an absolute gauntlet of a non-conference schedule in 2026-27. However, the Blue Devils also scheduled a couple of big-time preseason matchups.
On Wednesday, the program released its preseason schedule. The slate features one scrimmage against Belmont (Oct. 8) and two exhibition games against Tennessee at home (Oct. 20) and at Kansas (Oct. 25).
Head coach Jon Scheyer and his staff will take on former Duke assistant Evan Bradds, who took over as the next head coach at Belmont, his alma mater, after spending one season on Duke's staff.
Tennessee could be a top-10 team in college basketball entering next season, and Kansas certainly has some potential as well. The Jayhawks' headliner next season is 5-star freshman Tyran Stokes, who just took an early shot at the Blue Devils ahead of the exhibition bout.
Kansas' Tyran Stokes Ready for Duke Basketball
After Kansas posted the announcement of the exhibition matchup against the Blue Devils, 5-star rookie Tyran Stokes commented "Bet" in the comment section. Seems like Stokes is ready for his first premier game as a college player.
The 2026 recruiting class was unique, as many of the top prospects are viewed as long-term developmental projects rather than polished stars ready to lead a top team right away. Stokes might be the only exception to that label.
Looks like Tyran Stokes wants the smoke pic.twitter.com/Ws9FuN8Zmy
– Bearded Blue Devil (@BeardedBlueDevl) July 29, 2026
The 6'7", 230-pound big man was rated as the No. 1 overall player in the 2026 high school class, according to the 247Sports 2026 Composite Rankings. Stokes will follow Darryn Peterson as Bill Self's next star freshman. He will probably be a similar offensive catalyst for the Jayhawks as Peterson was a season ago. Stokes is expected to be firmly in the mix for the No. 1 overall pick in the 2027 NBA Draft.
Outlook for Kansas Next Season
Obviously, exhibition games don't count towards a team's record and don't mean all that much in the grand scheme of things. Still, especially against elite competition, it provides a good opportunity for both coaches to experiment with different rotations and styles.
Bill Self lost much of his production from a season ago, headlined by the departures of Peterson, who was the No. 2 overall selection in the 2026 NBA Draft by the Utah Jazz, and big man Flory Bidunga, who transferred to Louisville.
The Jayhawks lost seven of their top eight scorers from a season ago, with rising sophomore Kohl Rosario as the only returner from that bunch. Melvin Council Jr. is reportedly seeking an additional year of eligibility, but as it currently stands, he is out.
Along with Stokes, Kansas is bringing in 5-star point guard Taylen Kinney, the No. 3 point guard in the class per the 247Sports Composite.
Kansas lost a lot from the 2025-26 campaign, making it a fairly tough group to evaluate heading into the year. The Jayhawks will be led by two freshmen in Stokes and Kinney, and in today's college basketball landscape, that isn't necessarily ideal for consistent success.
Nonetheless, the Blue Devils will have a beneficial early test against Kansas at Allen Fieldhouse, and Stokes didn't waste any time setting the table for a stellar exhibition match.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com/college/duke as Kansas' Tyran Stokes Takes Early Shot at Duke Basketball.