Duke basketball recruiting: Jon Scheyer may receive first rejection

Are the Duke basketball coaches losing ground for one of their top targets?

Duke basketball head coach-in-waiting Jon Scheyer enjoyed a perfect summer on the recruiting trail after officially becoming Mike Krzyzewski’s named successor in early June. The 34-year-old and his gang snagged commitments from five recruits, with four of the five-star variety, between the 2022 and 2023 classes.

And they did so without any other targets turning down the Duke Blue Devils for another option.

But summer is over. Now, uncertainty grows about Scheyer & Co. keeping the winning streak alive through October.

So which prospect on the radar plans to announce his decision within the next month and might say no to Duke when he does? Well, although all hope is not lost, that answer could be La Lumiere (Ind.) point guard JJ Starling.

Duke basketball drawing some doubt entering JJ Starling’s homestretch

Following JJ Starling’s official visit to Durham over the weekend — the last one he plans to take in his recruitment — the lone 247Sports Crystal Ball pick now foresees the 6-foot-4 four-star choosing Notre Dame. Plus, while the pick comes with a significantly “low” confidence level, it’s worth noting that it belongs to a top Blue Devil insider, John Watson, who switched it from Duke.

Meanwhile, the Rivals FutureCast for Starling remains void of expert predictions. Perhaps that is due to the high school senior and his family staying relatively mum, including during the days since his return from Blue Devil land.

Starling, a versatile perimeter weapon specializing in outside shooting and ranking No. 33 overall on the 247Sports 2022 Composite, recently revealed five finalists: Duke, Northwestern, Notre Dame, Stanford, and Syracuse. In September, the native of upstate New York took three official visits; they were to now-perceived frontrunners Notre Dame, Syracuse, and Duke.

Except for saying the decision is likely to come in October, JJ Starling has not pinpointed an announcement date.

Jon Scheyer’s four straight yesses on the 2022 recruiting trail were from five-star power forward Kyle Filipowski, five-star small forward Dariq Whitehead, four-star shooting guard Jaden Schutt, and five-star center Dereck Lively. The collection sits at No. 1 on the 247Sports 2022 Team Rankings.