The Duke basketball program has sealed its first commitment from a member of the 2026 recruiting class, as 5-star forward Bryson Howard has committed to play for the Blue Devils. Howard chose Duke over North Carolina and Kentucky. Duke head coach Jon Scheyer and his staff were rumored to potentially be the frontrunners for the elite wing's services, but his ultimate commitment snuck up on fans out of nowhere. On October 20th, it was reported that Howard would be announcing his commitment between the Blue Devils, Tar Heels, and Wildcats on October 21st. Just hours later, Howard picked up a crystal ball prediction to Duke. Scheyer has been gaining ground with several elite prospects in the class of 2026, and now has his first official commitment from one of the class's biggest risers.
5-star 2026 forward Bryson Howard commits to Duke basketball over Kentucky and North Carolina
The 6'5", 188-pound forward is 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. The Heritage High School (TX) product might be the biggest riser in the entire 2026 recruiting class. Just a few months ago, Howard was an unranked prospect, but through elite play this summer in the EYBL circuit, he's jumped up all the way to a 5-star talent.
"It felt like home, really," Howard said after his commitment. "You know, how I fit into their play system. Off-ball screens, backdoor cuts, getting up and down defensively...it's really great, and it made the most sense to me."
"A whole lot of energy, y'all. I'm on the way," Howard said when asked what Duke fans can expect to get with the 5- star.
Howard visited all three programs in contention this fall. However, after the elite wing announced his commitment date, several reports confirmed Scheyer was in the driver's seat.
"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 in his analysis of 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)."
Scheyer and his staff now hope that Howard is the first domino to fall, as several top 2026 prospects have been linked to the Blue Devils as of late. Shortly after 5-star recruits Jordan Smith Jr. and Cameron Williams took official visits to Durham for Countdown to Craziness, major news regarding both players could be signs they're the next guys to head to Durham.