Duke basketball now in heated blue blood battle for elite 2026 5-star

The Duke basketball program is honing in on the elite recruits it's looking to seal for the 2026 recruiting class, and the Blue Devils are now in a heated battle of the blue bloods for 5-star prospect Bryson Howard. It was recently announced that Howard would be deciding between Duke, Kentucky, and North Carolina. Duke head coach Jon Scheyer and his staff have gained ground with other elite stars, as Jordan Smith Jr., the top overall combo guard in the 2026 class, recently picked up a crystal ball prediction to Duke. Beyond that, 5-star forward Cameron Williams cancelled his visit to USC right after attending Countdown to Craziness along with Smith. It's unknown whether Williams's cancellation of the visit has given Duke any ground towards landing the top-five prospect, but there's a chance it's significant.

5-star Bryson Howard announces final three schools in Duke, UNC, and Kentucky

Howard is potentially the biggest riser of the entire 2026 recruiting class. In a matter of months, the 6'5" small forward went from an unranked recruit to a 5-star talent. The Heritage High School (TX) product is currently the No. 12 overall player, No. 4 small forward, and No. 1 player out of the state of Texas according to the 247Sports 2026 Composite Rankings.

Howard has taken official visits to Duke, Kentucky, and North Carolina since September 5th. There is no set date for his commitment, but it's likely to be sooner rather than later.

"Howard is a long and athletic southpaw wing who changes the game on both ends of the floor," 247Sports Director of Scouting Adam Finkelstein said about Howard. "He attacks the rim in straight lines, getting downhill and absorbing contact with a physical style. He rises up to finish above the rim and is a lob threat. He also has a translatable shooting stroke and has even shown some flashes of being able to make movement shots (45% 3pt, 75% FT), which is very unusual for someone so young (won’t turn 18 until following his high school graduation) and with such long arms (6-foot-11 wingspan)."

Duke has yet to seal a commitment from a member of the 2026 recruiting class, but there are now three prospects that the Blue Devils are gaining traction on.