Head-to-head recruiting battles between Duke and UNC are nothing new. The blue blood programs are constantly competing in the same talent pools. But the first one between Jon Scheyer and new North Carolina coach Michael Malone is noteworthy.
And fittingly, in this era of college basketball, it's in the Transfer Portal instead of high school recruiting.
Scheyer may be facing a bigger portal rebuild than ever before, and Duke has been aggressive in its pursuit of some of the top available talent. One of the newest names in the talent pool is Alabama transfer center Aiden Sherrell, who is another potential replacement for Patrick Ngongba in the middle for the Blue Devils.
But Scheyer is going to have his work cut out for him to lure the Tide transfer to Durham. There's plenty of competition lining up for Sherrell, with one of them unsurprisingly being North Carolina:
As we begin to find out which players in the transfer portal are getting more than an introductory "hello" from UNC, Aiden Sherrell looks like one of those guys Michael Malone is taking seriously. By @CoachDavidSisk https://t.co/zz9daPrNXu
— Andrew Jones (@AJTarHeel247) April 10, 2026
Duke and North Carolina could go head-to-head for Aiden Sherrell
It's easy to see why Sherrell is so coveted. He made major strides as a sophomore at Alabama, averaging 11 points and 6 rebounds per game while also blocking over two shots a night. He was a force in the middle for a Crimson Tide team that had limited depth around him in the frontcourt, so he shouldered a heavy burden night in and night out.
In terms of what Duke wants in its five, Kansas center Flory Bidunga is probably a better overall fit. I believe he's the top priority for Scheyer and company, but he's also commanding a lot of interest in the portal, and could be trending toward Louisville along with Oregon transfer Jackson Shelstad. Both are reportedly visiting Louisville together on Friday.
That could force Scheyer into contingency options, and while Sherrell would represent a bit of a philosophical change at the position, he's extremely talented, and if his developmental path continues, he could be one of the best big men in the country next season.
Earning an early win over Malone's UNC on the recruiting trail would be a big flex for Scheyer.