Jon Scheyer lockers Michael Malone as Duke beats out UNC for coveted international big

Get used to this feeling, UNC fans.

In the first of what will be many head-to-head recruiting battles between Jon Scheyer and Michael Malone, Duke beat out UNC for coveted international big man Joaquim Boumtje Boumtje.

Boumtje Boumtje committed to Duke on Thursday, just a day after predictions began pouring in for the Blue Devils to fend off the Tar Heels and land his commitment.

Duke lands commitment from international big man Joaquim Boumtje Boumtje

The 16-year-old was a teammate of recent UNC commitment Sayon Keita, which was thought by Carolina fans to likely give them a leg up in the recruitment. Instead, Boumtje Boumtje chose the proven developmental path in Durham with Scheyer's recent history of success with big men.

Scheyer turned Kahman Maluach into a Top 10 pick, and then Patrick Ngongba, who played a bit role for Duke as a freshman behind Maluach, blossomed in his sophomore season with the Blue Devils, becoming one of the single most impactful players in college basketball.

Boumtje Boumtje, who won't be eligible for the NBA Draft until 2028, likely sees a parralel between himself and the path of Ngongba in Durham.

Boumtje Boumtje is highly skilled with an inside-out game that will fit nicely in Scheyer's offensive system. He should be able to come in and play right away as a backup, while developing behind the scenes and potentially taking over as Duke's starting center in 2027-28 if Ngongba moves on to the NBA after next season.

He gives Duke a second talented big man to develop, and in today's college basketball world, you can't have enough playable bigs anymore. Duke also signed 4-star center Maxime Meyer, who is considered a developmental prospect in his own right.

Between the two of them, Duke should have quality depth behind Ngongba this season, with the potential for both freshman Cameron Williams and Belmont transfer Drew Scharnowski.

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