Duke has had success recently with international recruiting, and Jon Scheyer could be preparing to go back to the well again.
Scheyer bolstered the current Duke roster by landing former Italian Pro Dame Sarr, who has been a productive two-way player for the Blue Devils. Sarr really began picking up his play down the stretch and could be a key player in a potential deep NCAA Tournament run for Duke.
The year before, Scheyer landed center Khaman Maluach from South Sudan, who parlayed a terrific freshman campaign in Durham to become the 10th overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft.
According to Matteo Andreani, Duke is pursuing British guard Quinn Ellis, and appears to be in the driver's seat despite other programs, namely Kentucky, aggressively chasing Ellis, too:
The future of Quinn Ellis is uncertain, but the NCAA is pushing hard for the Olimpia Milano guard.
— Matteo Andreani (@matty_vanpersie) March 17, 2026
Several colleges are interested, including Kentucky, but Duke has emerged as the closest destination to Ellis, as anticipated by @eurodevotion . pic.twitter.com/dE38Ys5mOr
Duke is pursuing British pro guard Quinn Ellis
It's not immediately known how much eligibility Ellis would be given. He's 22 years old and has played three professional seasons overseas, playing for both Trento and, most recently, Olimpia Milano of the LBA, which is Italy's top professional league.
Ellis is listed at 6-foot-5 and has good positional size and an all-around game. His numbers in LBA play aren't eye-popping (8/4/4 this year), but he shined on the international stage for Great Britain in World Cup qualifiers, averaging 17.5 points and 7.0 assists per game.
Duke's pursuit of Ellis could be viewed as a bit curious, with a backcourt that seems pretty set for next season. Both Caleb Foster and Cayden Boozer are expected to return, and the Blue Devils landed 5-star Deron Rippey in the 2026 high school class.
Dame Sarr and Darren Evans could both return, too, though Sarr has begun generating some serious NBA Draft buzz, and Evans could ultimately decide to pursue a bigger role in the Transfer Portal.
Ellis has yet to make a decision on whether he is going to come to the States to play college basketball, but if he does, it appears Scheyer and the Blue Devils are in pole position for his services.