The Duke basketball program has sealed two commitments from recruits in the class of 2026, in 5-star forward Bryson Howard and seven-footer Maxime Meyer. The next domino to fall in Jon Scheyer's 2026 recruiting trail could be 5-star guard Deron Rippey Jr., as it was just reported that Rippey will be cutting his list of schools from 10 to five after his official visit to NC State this weekend. Rippey is one of the most sought-after guards in the 2026 recruiting class, and he's one of the top targets for Scheyer and his staff. The star guard has had a busy fall with visits, but some movement is finally expected to be made in regard to his ultimate college commitment.
5-star Duke target Deron Rippey Jr. set to cut list from 10 to five after official visit to NC State this weekend
According to 247Sports National Basketball Recruiting Analyst Dushawn London, Rippey will be cutting his list in half following his final official visit to NC State this weekend. This will be Rippey's eighth official visit since August 27th.
Five-star point guard Deron Rippey Jr. will cut his list sometime after his official visit to NC State.
— Dushawn London (@DushawnLondon1) November 4, 2025
He previewed his official visit, talked his process and some schools involved with @247Sports
Story: https://t.co/wFLdkE2HZm pic.twitter.com/qvbDgkh0JK
The Blair Academy (NJ) product is the No. 11 overall player, No. 1 point guard, and No. 1 player out of the state of New Jersey per the 247Sports 2026 Composite Rankings. The 6'2, 175-pound point guard's list of potential suitors currently sits at 10: Duke, NC State, Louisville, North Carolina, Miami, Syracuse, Alabama, Tennessee, Texas, and Kentucky.
Rippey took his official visit to Duke from October 21st to the 23rd, and Scheyer also took an in-home visit with the guard back in September.
With two commitments already sealed for Scheyer and his staff, Duke now looks to hone in on a few other top prospects who have been linked to Duke, including Rippey. 5-star prospects Jordan Smith Jr. and Cameron Williams both took their official visits to Duke for Countdown to Craziness. Shortly after the pair visited Durham, breaking news broke out, potentially linking both to the Blue Devils.
Days after their official visit, Smith received a crystal ball prediction to Duke, and Williams cancelled his official visit to USC that was scheduled for the following weekend. Williams instead attended the USA Basketball Minicamp in Colorado Springs, CO, so it's unclear if his Duke visit played a big role in that decision.
Keep an eye out for the top guard in the class of 2026 to cut his list of schools, and whether Duke is included or not.