John Blackwell joins Duke with 1,505 points from Wisconsin

John Blackwell transferred to Duke University on Friday.

The 6-foot-5 guard arrives at the second-ranked Blue Devils program with a career total of 1,505 points from three seasons at Wisconsin. That total ranks him 11th on the Badgers' career scoring list.

Blackwell averaged 19.1 points and 5.1 rebounds during the 2025-26 season at Wisconsin. He helped lead the Badgers to a 24-11 record before an 83-82 loss to High Point in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.

Duke coach Jon Scheyer noted that Blackwell is a proven scorer who understands how to impact a game without holding the ball. Scheyer told reporters that Blackwell has experience in high-pressure moments.

Blackwell credited Scheyer's direct communication style for his decision to join the program. The guard said Scheyer did not sugarcoat the expectations of the job. He stated that the coach told him the team would push him every single day. Blackwell said that has been the reality since his arrival.

Blackwell has already posted strong numbers in his new uniform. He scored 23 points in a 90-84 win over No. 17 Kansas. He added 18 points in a 103-64 victory over No. 8 Tennessee.

A panel of media members selected Blackwell as a first-team preseason all-Atlantic Coast Conference player. He finished second to Virginia forward Thijs De Ridder in voting for the ACC preseason player of the year.

Other notable transfers have also made moves across the country. Flory Bidunga, a 6-foot-9 forward from the Democratic Republic of the Congo, moved from Kansas to Louisville. He earned second-team Associated Press all-Big 12 honors last season and was named the Big 12 defensive player of the year by coaches. He totaled 145 blocks in two seasons at Kansas and averaged 13.3 points and 9 rebounds last year. An ACC media panel made him a preseason first-team all-conference selection for No. 11 Louisville.

Juke Harris left Wake Forest for Tennessee after averaging 21.4 points per game last season. The 6-foot-7 guard played 1,230 minutes last year, the most by any Wake Forest player since at least 1974-75. SEC coaches named him a second-team preseason all-conference selection.

Mila Momcilovic transferred from Iowa State to Kentucky. The 6-foot-9 forward led all Division I players in 3-point baskets with 136 and 3-point percentage at .487 last season. He scored 16.9 points per game for Iowa State. His 136 threes represented the second-highest single-season total in Big 12 history. SEC coaches placed him on their preseason second-team all-conference list. He scored 19 points for No. 23 Kentucky in an exhibition win over Central Florida and 15 in an exhibition victory over Texas Tech.

Paulius Murauskas, a 6-foot-8 forward from Lithuania, moved from Saint Mary’s to Arizona State. Big 12 coaches selected him as the league's preseason newcomer of the year and a preseason all-conference player. He earned first-team all-West Coast Conference honors each of his two seasons at Saint Mary's under coach Randy Bennett. He averaged 18.4 points and 7.6 rebounds per game last season.

Dedan Thomas Jr. joined No. 10 Houston from LSU. The 6-foot-1 guard averaged 15.3 points and 6.5 assists in 16 games at LSU before an injured left foot ended his season. He recorded four times as many assists as turnovers. Big 12 coaches placed him on their preseason all-conference team. He played two seasons at UNLV before joining LSU last year. He has averaged 14.6 points and 5.3 assists in 76 career games, including 75 starts.