Duke basketball head coach Jon Scheyer is honing in on which prospects he likes in the 2026 recruiting class, and he'll host another top recruit this weekend. Class of 2026 5-star wing Bryson Howard will take an official visit to Duke this weekend. Howard is one of several elite players coming from the class of 2026 that is scheduled to take an official visit to Durham sometime over the next few months. 4-star guard Austin Goosby recently completed an official visit with the Blue Devils, and 5-stars like Cameron Williams and Deron Rippey Jr. are also scheduled to be on campus in the near future.
Duke to host 5-star 2026 forward Bryson Howard for official visit this weekend
Howard 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 Frisco, TX native attends Heritage High School (TX) and holds offers from schools such as Kentucky, North Carolina, Tennessee, Houston, UConn, Baylor, among others.
The forward has become one of the biggest risers of the 2026 recruiting class. After entering this summer ranked barely inside the top-60, Howard has risen all the way to No. 12 nationally per 247. Through the Nike EYBL circuit, Howard averaged 21 points and five rebounds a game on almost 45% shooting from three-point range.
Howard is already an advanced shooter and can be effective defensively as well at 6'5 and 190 pounds. Scheyer has built his past squads on defensive length and versatility, and Howard fits that mold long-term.
Generally, the 2026 recruiting class is considered very weak compared to many across the last ten years or so. Many of these prospects, including Howard, are viewed as long-term projects who can develop into stars, as opposed to guys who can contribute on a championship-caliber team right away.
Aside from Howard this weekend, Duke is set to host 5-stars Rippey Jr. and Williams, along with surging 4-star prospect Maximo Adams, later this fall. Duke also has an official visit scheduled with 5-star guard Brandon McCoy, but it's been reported as of late that Duke is veering away from McCoy.