Major Duke basketball recruiting target making noise

Duke basketball has a shot at a memorable March in recruiting as well.

After leading his squad to the Class 5A State Championship Thursday night, Ridge View (S.C.) power forward GG Jackson told On3 that he’s likely to announce his destination in two to three weeks. Then on Friday, the five-star junior revealed to Twitter his six finalists, including the Duke basketball program.

Auburn, Georgetown, South Carolina, UNC, and the G League are the other schools still in the mix.

Jackson, a 6-foot-9 versatile bruiser who ranks No. 8 overall on the 247Sports 2023 Composite, has also noted to several insiders that he’s considering a reclass to 2022.

Can the Duke basketball recruiting machine come out on top?

Currently, the 247Sports Crystal Ball experts still unanimously see the Tar Heels as the frontrunners for GG Jackson. That said, the On3 Recruiting Prediction Machine now shows the Gamecocks as the suitors to beat while giving both the Tar Heels and Blue Devils a fighting chance.

If Jackson plans to move up a grade, then one would think Duke may have a tough time convincing him to join the six-deep 2022 Blue Devil collection. It features three of the top five prospects on the 247Sports 2022 Composite in center Dereck Lively II, power forward Kyle Filipowski, and small forward Dariq Whitehead; consider that all three of those guys play at or near Jackson’s position.

Then again, taking into account the unquestioned recruiting prowess of Jon Scheyer ever since becoming the Duke head coach-in-waiting last summer, nobody should be counting out the Blue Devils in a high-profile race, regardless of the circumstances.

Meanwhile, Duke’s 2023 haul also ranks No. 1 in the country. It features two commits: four-star power forward Sean Stewart and five-star point guard Caleb Foster, who is also weighing a potential reclass to 2022.

Stay tuned to Ball Durham for more Duke basketball recruiting news and views.