Did a Duke basketball commit turn down Kanye West?

A future Duke basketball player appears to have been on Kanye West’s radar.

In early September, Kanye West revealed the launch of a new K-12 prep school located just outside Los Angeles in Simi Valley as a way to honor the academic legacy of his late mother, Donda West. Then, across the past month, the famous rapper and businessman has helped his Donda Academy reel in at least four heralded hoopsters, including one current high school senior.

Now, according to the following tweeted report this week from recruiting analyst Jacob Polacheck, there is some evidence on social media that West might have been eyeing a transfer from 2022 Duke basketball commit Kyle Filipowski as well:

“Donda Academy transfers Jahki Howard, Zion Cruz, and Robert Dillingham have received a follow from [Kanye West] on Instagram and changed their profile pics to a black icon. Interestingly, 2022 Duke commit Kyle Filipowski and unsigned 2023 four-star Gus Yalden have done the same.”

However, Filipowski seemed to say thanks but no thanks with this tweet on Wednesday:

How Kanye West might have benefitted the Duke basketball recruiting prize

Kyle Filipowski, who has soared from No. 158 to No. 8 overall on the 247Sports 2022 Composite across the past year, still attends Wilbraham & Monson Academy in Massachusetts. Two months ago, the 6-foot-11, 230-pound five-star power forward became the first recruit to pledge allegiance to Duke head coach-in-waiting Jon Scheyer.

Perhaps Filipowski was interested in a move to Southern California for his senior season. After all, chances are he would have boosted his potential NIL earnings as a collegian by first playing under what is likely to be a relatively bright spotlight at Donda Academy.

With Kanye West regularly on the front row for games, one would assume.

The Duke Blue Devils boast three other 2022 commits: five-star center Dereck Lively, five-star small forward Dariq Whitehead, and four-star shooting guard Jaden Schutt.