Duke basketball recruiting: Blue Devils eye sharpshooter

A refined 2024 shooter seems to appreciate recent Duke basketball interest.

First-year Duke basketball director of player development Amile Jefferson has the necessary ingredients to become an elite recruiter. The 2015 Blue Devil national champ is still plenty young enough, 28, to be relatable. His NBA career, albeit brief, makes him respectable. And his upbeat personality could prove, well, irresistible.

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Although the former do-it-all power forward is unlikely to serve as the program’s lead recruiter with regularity anytime soon, Jefferson is already often out on the Duke basketball recruiting trail honing his Blue Devil salesmanship. This week, during a 247Sports interview with Brandon Jenkins, John Paul II (Texas) small forward Liam McNeeley confirmed as much:

“Amile Jefferson has been recruiting me. They are a blueblood, so they have a great program. Hopefully, I can go there for a visit next year, so I am excited about them.”

McNeeley already holds about a dozen offers, including one of the ACC variety in Georgia Tech. According to Jenkins, his most active early suitors appear to be Oklahoma, Stanford, and Texas.

A scouting report on Duke basketball recruiting prospect Liam McNeeley

As a 6-foot-7, 190-pound balanced playmaker and noted sharpshooter, Liam McNeeley figures to be either a five-star or top-tier four-star when the 247Sports 2024 Composite debuts later in the school year. Over at Rivals, the 2021 Team USA U16 gold medalist ranks No. 16 overall in the class and boasts a four-star rating.

Here’s a snippet of Jenkins’ assessment:

“McNeeley is as versatile as they come in the 2024 class…With his textbook shooting stroke, he has the capability to be a knockdown 3-point shooter at a high level. But the best area of his game is his passing, as his vision is way above average…He is unselfish to a fault, but his aggression as a scorer will come as he gains more confidence in his game.”

The Duke Blue Devils have yet to extend any 2024 recruiting offers as the staff looks to put the finishing touches on their currently top-ranked 2022 haul and build on their one-deep 2023 collection. Per 247Sports, Liam McNeeley is the only high school sophomore officially showing up on their radar for the time being.