Duke basketball appears to be in the driver’s seat for one of the biggest prizes in the 2026 recruiting class — but a surprising new twist could determine how this story ends.
According to multiple reports, head coach Jon Scheyer and his staff have emerged as the clear frontrunners to land 5-star combo guard Jordan Smith Jr., a player many scouts believe could be the next great Duke backcourt star.
Duke’s Recruiting Momentum Hits Overdrive
Smith, the explosive 6-foot-2 guard from Paul VI Catholic (VA), was one of the biggest names on campus during Countdown to Craziness this past weekend. He was joined by fellow 5-star Cameron Williams, but all eyes were on Smith — whose connection with Scheyer and Duke’s staff continues to strengthen.
This marked Smith’s second official visit to Durham, and the Blue Devils followed up with an in-home visit from Scheyer soon after. That effort paid off, as Colby Giacubeno of InsideMDSports has now logged a Crystal Ball prediction for Smith to commit to Duke. Giacubeno, known for his near-perfect accuracy, gave the prediction medium confidence, but the buzz among insiders is that the commitment could already be in motion.
The Deep Duke Connection
Smith isn’t just another top prospect — he’s part of a growing Paul VI-to-Duke pipeline. Current Blue Devils Darren Harris and Patrick Ngongba II both played alongside him, while Trevor Keels and Jeremy Roach once walked the same high school halls.
Ranked No. 2 overall and the No. 1 combo guard in the 2026 class by 247Sports Composite, Smith cut his list to Duke, Kentucky, Arkansas, Indiana, Georgetown, and Syracuse earlier this year. He’s already visited Arkansas, and he’s set to visit Kentucky next weekend — a trip that could either seal his decision… or delay it.
That’s the twist Duke fans are watching closely.
Why Duke Still Leads
The Blue Devils’ advantage comes down to connection, development, and environment. The Countdown to Craziness atmosphere — the lights, the music, and the roar of Cameron Indoor — reportedly left Smith “in awe.”
In a past interview with Rivals, Smith spoke glowingly of Duke’s head coach:
> “They want me to come in there, help them win a national championship, help them reach my goals in any way possible. They want to build my character as a young man and develop me into who I want to be. I love Jon Scheyer — he’s a great recruiter. I have two teammates that speak very highly of him, so I’m just excited to see what they do this year, how he plays them.”
The Twist That Could Change Everything
The only thing keeping this deal from being done? Timing. Sources say Smith wants to complete all his visits before announcing, and that upcoming Kentucky trip might give the Wildcats one last shot to flip the narrative.
Still, Duke’s confidence is sky-high. The Blue Devils believe the connection, fit, and opportunity they offer can’t be matched — and most insiders agree.
If all goes as expected, Jordan Smith Jr. could be the next elite guard to call Cameron Indoor home — and Duke basketball could soon have its first major recruiting win of the 2026 class.
