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Duke, Jon Scheyer Make Decision on Four-Star Recruit

Originally posted on Athlon Sports
By Rowan Fisher-Shotton | Last updated Jun 19, 2025 3:31 PM ET

Deron Rippey Jr., a 6‑foot‑2, 175‑pound point guard out of Blair Academy in Blairstown, New Jersey, has steadily climbed recruiting boards this spring.

He checks in at No. 17 in the 247Sports Composite rankings for the class of 2026 and is widely viewed as a top‑five point guard nationally.

Rippey has already collected interest from basketball blue bloods across the country, including Tennessee, Miami, Auburn, Texas Tech, Alabama, UCLA and Kentucky.

Now, Jon Scheyer and the Duke Blue Devils have reportedly joined the mix.

On Thursday, On3's recruiting insider Joe Tipton broke the news via his Instagram story that Duke University has made its pitch to the four‑star guard, marking Rippey’s first direct courtship by Scheyer’s staff.

Under Scheyer, Duke closed the 2024-25 season with a 35-4 overall record and a dominant 19-1 mark in ACC play, securing both the regular‑season and tournament crowns.

The Blue Devils advanced to the Final Four, where they fell in a tightly contested 70-67 loss to No. 2 Houston, but notched wins over Mount St. Mary's, Baylor, Arizona and Alabama in the NCAA Tournament’s East Region.

The Blue Devils have not yet secured any verbal commitments in the 2026 cycle, but they have been proactive in courting several coveted prospects.

On Wednesday, Brewster Academy forward Sebastian Wilkins, a 6‑foot-8, four-star recruit per 247Sports, signed with Duke, though Wilkins is expected to reclassify to 2025.

In addition, Duke has shown interest in several five-star recruits for the 2026 class, including forwards Cameron Williams and Christian Collins, guard Brandon McCoy and No. 2 overall player in the nation Jordan Smith.

Duke’s move on Thursday positions it among the frontrunners to land another top‑20 talent in Rippey.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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