On the recruiting trail, it isn't often that the Duke Blue Devils and head coach Jon Scheyer get denied by blue-chip prospects.
Since taking over the program in 2022, Scheyer has landed three No. 1 recruiting classes and is on track to do so once again (2023 was the only class that fell beyond No. 1, falling to No. 2 in the nation behind the Kentucky Wildcats).
However, there are only so many spots on a roster, even when it's the top group of recruits in the country. So, Scheyer and the Blue Devils can't land every commitment, and right now, they have stiff competition for the No. 2 prospect in the class of 2026.
Jordan Smith Sr., a five-star recruit and the No. 1 combo guard in the class, is arguably the most highly coveted uncommitted prospect out there. To land his commitment, Scheyer is going head-to-head with head coach John Calipari, yes, the very one who recruited Kentucky's No. 1 class in 2023.
Jon Scheyer, John Calipari going head-to-head for Jordan Smith Sr.
Smith has made just three official visits: to Duke, to Arkansas (where Calipari now coaches), and to Kentucky. Since then, everyone has assumed that it is pretty much between the Blue Devils and the Arkansas Razorbacks.
However, there is a big obstacle standing in Scheyer's way, which On3's recruiting expert Joe Tipton pointed out earlier this week: he already landed a commitment from Deron Rippey Jr.
Rippey is the No. 1 point guard in the class of 2026 and committed to the Blue Devils at the end of December. The reason he is an obstacle to landing Smith is the fact that they're both highly touted guards in the recruiting cycle.
In other words, why would Smith commit to a team that seems to already have their next go-to guy in the backcourt? At the same time, how could a young prospect resist the allure of joining the No. 1 recruiting class in the country and playing for the Duke Blue Devils?
Alongside Rippey in Duke's upcoming class are fellow five-stars Cameron Williams (power forward), Bryson Howard (small forward), and Maxime Meyer (center).
Smith could round out a perfect all-freshman starting lineup for the Blue Devils. Scheyer just has to convince him to sell him on coming to Durham over heading to Fayetteville.
Reportedly, Smith isn't going to announce his commitment until the end of February, but could also wait until April to make his commitment official. Scheyer has more time to entice the five-star guard, and his visit to Smith's tournament game over the weekend certainly didn't hurt.