Duke basketball finalizes plans to host key 5-star recruit with deep ties to program

The Duke basketball program is offically planning out its recruiting pitches for 2026 prospects and one player has emerged above the rest as a priority for the Blue Devils.

Jordan Smith Jr., a 5-star recruit, has scheduled a visit to Durham for September 14, according to Patrick O'Brien of Phenom Hoops. It is the first known visit that the team has scheduled with a high school junior and it shouldn't come as much of a surprise after how quickly Jon Scheyer reached out to him this summer.

Listed at 6-foot-3, Smith Jr. is ranked as the No. 8 player in the Class of 2026, according to the 247Sports Composite rankings, and is one of three players to hold an offer from the Blue Devils in his class.

Brandon McCoy Jr., the top ranked player in the country, and Miikka Muurinen, a 4-star forward, are the others.

There are no other known visits at this time for Jordan Smith Jr., but the expectation is that many other high-major programs will host him in the fall.

Smith Jr. was a member of the USA Basketball U17 squad this summer that won the gold medal in the FIBA U17 World Cup, averaging 5.9 points and 2.1 rebounds per game, and playing as one of the younger players on the roster that held some of the best 2025 players in the nation.

The highly sought after recruit also holds an offer from North Carolina, however, Duke should feel confident in its pursuit of Smith Jr. as a star from Paul VI (Va.), which has sent a handful of players to Durham in the last several years.

The Blue Devils landed the backcourt duo of Jeremy Roach and Trevor Keels as well as current freshmen Darren Harris and Patrick Ngongba II from the program. Perhaps Jordan Smith Jr. will join those named and add to the legacy the high school has carved out at Duke.