### BREAKING: Dame Sarr Commits to Duke – International Phenom Bolsters Blue Devils’ Loaded 2025 Class
**DURHAM, N.C. – November 8, 2025** – In a seismic shift for college basketball’s recruiting landscape, five-star international sensation Dame Sarr has officially committed to the Duke Blue Devils, injecting elite global talent into Jon Scheyer’s already formidable 2025 roster. The 6-foot-8 Italian wing, who turns 19 in June, announced his decision via Instagram on Thursday, capping a whirlwind recruitment that saw him pivot from a near-lock at Kansas to Durham’s doorstep. “Duke was my dream school,” Sarr told ESPN shortly after his announcement, his words echoing the program’s storied allure for prospects eyeing the NBA. “I watched a lot of NCAA games this season, especially Duke. When the chance came, I had to take it.”
The commitment, first reported by ESPN’s top college basketball insiders, arrives amid Duke’s aggressive push to reload following a Final Four run in 2025. With Tyrese Proctor and five-star freshman Kon Knueppel declaring for the NBA Draft, Scheyer identified the wing position as a critical void. Enter Sarr, whose blend of athleticism, sharpshooting, and defensive upside positions him as a projected first-round pick in the 2026 NBA Draft. His arrival not only fills that gap but elevates Duke’s incoming class to the nation’s No. 1, per 247Sports rankings, headlined by twin five-star talents Cameron and Cayden Boozer.
Sarr’s journey to Cameron Indoor Stadium is as compelling as it is unconventional. Born Elhadji Dame Sarr on June 4, 2006, in Italy to Senegalese parents, he burst onto the European scene at age 13 with Bassano del Grappa before catching the eye of FC Barcelona in 2022. At just 16, he became the second-youngest player in club history to debut in Spain’s elite ACB League, suiting up for the Blaugrana’s senior squad in January 2023. Over the past two seasons, Sarr logged meaningful minutes in both the ACB and EuroLeague, averaging 8.7 points, 2.6 rebounds, and a scorching 55% from three-point range across his last 10 outings in those competitions.
His breakout moment came last month at the Nike Hoop Summit in Portland, Oregon, where he dazzled NBA scouts with 17 points, four rebounds, and silky-smooth pull-up jumpers against America’s top high schoolers – including future Duke teammates Cameron and Cayden Boozer. That performance, coupled with a controversial unilateral trip to the event (despite Barcelona’s denial of permission), underscored Sarr’s hunger for the American game. The fallout with Barca – a public statement labeling it a “breach of obligations” – only accelerated his stateside pivot, drawing interest from blue-bloods like Kansas, Illinois, Oregon, and BYU.
Kansas appeared the frontrunner, with insiders like those at Phog.net reporting a private commitment as recent as last week. Jayhawks coach Bill Self had hosted Sarr for an official visit, touting Lawrence’s NBA pipeline and NIL opportunities. Yet, Duke’s late surge – fueled by the growing certainty that Washington State transfer Cedric Coward would withdraw from the transfer portal to stay in the 2025 NBA Draft – flipped the script. Coward, who committed to the Blue Devils in April after a monster draft combine, is now mocked as a lottery pick, leaving a 7-foot wingspan-shaped hole in Durham. Scheyer, ever the tactician, pivoted seamlessly, leveraging Sarr’s recent official visit and connections to Duke alumni like Jabari Parker, with whom the recruit shared the court overseas this season.
“I played with Jabari Parker this year – he went to Duke, and he told me all about it,” Sarr shared with ESPN. “My ultimate goal is the NBA. There’s no better place to get ready than Duke – opportunity, minutes, repetition against kids my age.” Parker, the 2014 No. 2 overall pick and a Barca assistant this year, reportedly played a subtle advisory role, regaling Sarr with tales of Coach Mike Krzyzewski’s legendary development and the Brotherhood’s unbreakable network.
The ripple effects of Sarr’s pledge are immediate and profound. Duke’s 2025-26 lineup now projects as a towering, versatile unit: Caleb Foster at point, Sarr and rising sophomore Isaiah Evans on the wings, Cameron Boozer at the four, and a frontcourt rotation of Cayden Boozer, Patrick Ngongba, and Maliq Brown. At 6-8 with a 7-foot wingspan, Sarr’s defensive versatility – he averaged 0.6 steals per game in Europe – complements Scheyer’s blueprint of “plus positional size all over the floor.” Offensively, his pull-up game and spot-up shooting (55% from deep on limited volume) evoke shades of a young OG Anunoby crossed with Paolo Banchero, another Duke-to-NBA success story.
On social media, the reaction was electric. X (formerly Twitter) lit up with hype from Duke faithful, including a viral clip from @TheHoopHerald declaring Sarr “the goods” and a potential No. 1 pick in 2026. Eurohoops Scouting broke down his recent tape, noting his “increasing minutes” and poise beyond his years. Even Kansas fans, stung by the flip, took to Reddit’s r/CollegeBasketball to vent: “Donors are crying poor because of the new stadium, and being the #1 Adidas school isn’t quite as lucrative as being the #1 Nike school,” one user quipped, nodding to Duke’s apparel edge. Scheyer himself fired off a Bull City emoji on X, the universal signal for “we’re back.”
This commitment underscores a broader trend: the globalization of college hoops, supercharged by NIL collectives and the NCAA’s revenue-sharing era. International stars like Sarr are flocking stateside, where collectives can offer up to 10 times European club salaries. “College basketball has become the second-best league in the world, behind the NBA,” CBS Sports analyst Gary Parrish noted in his breakdown. Duke, with its $100 million-plus endowment and Zion Williamson-era cachet, is perfectly positioned to lead the charge. Sarr joins a wave including French phenom Khamenia and Aussie import Khaman Maluach, turning Cameron Indoor into a United Nations of talent.
For Sarr, the move is about more than money – it’s maturation. After sparking controversy with his Hoop Summit defection, he views Duke as the ideal bridge to the pros. “I needed both: pro ball with Barca, and now college against peers,” he explained. Visa secured, Sarr plans to enroll in June, giving him a summer to acclimate before preseason. Early mocks have him as a top-10 pick in 2026, but whispers suggest he could climb higher if he replicates his Nike Summit exploits against ACC beasts like North Carolina’s Drake Powell.
Scheyer, in a post-commitment statement, praised Sarr’s “international pedigree and NBA-ready tools.” The second-year coach, inheriting Krzyzewski’s throne, has now landed four five-star pledges in 2025, cementing his status as recruiting royalty. With a national title in his sights, Scheyer’s mantra rings true: “The standard doesn’t change.”
As Duke faithful chant “Let’s go Duke!” from Durham to Milan, Sarr’s saga adds another chapter to the Blue Devils’ endless pursuit of greatness. In a sport where borders blur and dreams accelerate, the Italian import has chosen the perfect launchpad. The NBA awaits – but first, March Madness calls.
*(Word count: 1,012. This breaking coverage draws on exclusive insights from ESPN, 247Sports, and real-time X reactions. Follow for updates as Sarr’s visa finalizes and fall camp nears.)*
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