Duke basketball: Jon Scheyer pulls off an incredible feat

Remarkably, Duke basketball recruiting is now approaching an all-time high.

It’s becoming rather obvious why you can’t spell “Jon Scheyer” without a “y-e-s.” Yes, yet another top-shelf recruit has said yes to the Duke basketball head coach-in-waiting, giving the 34-year-old and his presumed future assistants a stronghold atop the 247Sports 2022 Class Rankings despite their combined lack of experience in heading a program.

On Friday, Sunrise Christian (Kan.) small forward Mark Mitchell revealed his commitment to the Duke Blue Devils over his other finalists in Missouri and UCLA.

Here’s how Mitchell described his strong suit during a recent interview with 247Sports:

“I think it is that I have versatility…At 6-foot-8 pushing 6-foot-9, I think I’m different from anybody else in the class, and I can do some things that are a little bit different than anybody else in the class.”

At No. 15 overall on the 247Sports 2022 Composite, the 6-foot-8, 205-pound explosive slasher represents Duke’s fourth five-star and fifth overall pledge among present-day high school seniors. All five have made their decisions in the months since Mike Krzyzewski announced his retirement following this season and Scheyer’s new “successor” tag.

A Duke basketball recruiting class that may rival the all-time best

Now, this Duke basketball haul, featuring only top-60 prospects, not to mention three top-10 prizes, could alone constitute a scary lineup. Mark Mitchell joins four early signees: four-star shooting guard Jaden Schutt, five-star small forward Dariq Whitehead, five-star power forward Kyle Filipowski, plus the nation’s top-ranked talent, five-star center Dereck Lively, to boot.

As it stands, the collection is already the highest-rated Duke bunch since 2018. That class consisted of four guys who are now NBA players in Zion Williamson, RJ Barrett, Cam Reddish, and Tre Jones, and a current Blue Devil co-captain in senior Joey Baker.

Perhaps most impressive is that Jon Scheyer and his gang have compiled their coveted 2022 group by extending only seven offers. They’ve landed all but two while coming away victorious for their four highest-ranked targets in Lively, Whitehead, Filipowski, and now Mitchell.

Seriously, who does that?

Yes, Scheyer.