The recruiting trail is heating up for Jon Scheyer and the Duke basketball program — and the latest update could be a major turning point in their pursuit of one of the top guards in the 2026 class.
According to 247Sports’ Dushawn London, five-star point guard Deron Rippey Jr. will soon be trimming his list of schools from ten to five. The decision is expected to come shortly after his official visit to NC State this weekend, marking the end of a busy few months of travel for the highly coveted guard.
Rippey, a standout from Blair Academy (NJ), is currently ranked as the No. 11 overall player, No. 1 point guard, and No. 1 player in New Jersey in the 247Sports Composite Rankings. Standing at 6’2” and 175 pounds, Rippey has drawn interest from nearly every major program in the country — but Duke remains firmly in the mix.
His current list includes Duke, NC State, Louisville, North Carolina, Miami, Syracuse, Alabama, Tennessee, Texas, and Kentucky.
Rippey took his official visit to Duke from October 21–23, and Scheyer also made an in-home visit with him back in September — a clear sign that the Blue Devils have made him a top priority in their 2026 class.
With two five-star commitments already secured in forward Bryson Howard and seven-footer Maxime Meyer, Duke’s staff is now focused on finishing strong. Alongside Rippey, the Blue Devils are also keeping close tabs on fellow elite prospects Jordan Smith Jr. and Cameron Williams, both of whom were in Durham for Countdown to Craziness.
Following those visits, momentum appeared to shift Duke’s way — Smith received a Crystal Ball prediction to Duke, and Williams canceled an upcoming official visit to USC. Williams instead participated in the USA Basketball Minicamp in Colorado Springs, leaving questions about whether his trip to Duke influenced the change.
As Rippey prepares to narrow his list, all eyes in Durham will be watching closely. If Duke makes the cut, it could signal another major recruiting win for Scheyer and his staff — and potentially the addition of the nation’s top point guard to an already elite 2026 class.
