Duke basketball showed early interest in Deron Rippey Jr. with a scouting visit last summer, but things had been quiet since—until now.
According to HS Top Recruits, Duke head coach Jon Scheyer was among a host of prominent college coaches watching the 6-foot-2, 175-pound Blair Academy (N.J.) standout at the 3SSB event in Council Bluffs, Iowa, this past weekend.
Also in attendance were coaching heavyweights like UConn’s Dan Hurley, Auburn’s Bruce Pearl, Louisville’s Pat Kelsey, Texas’ Sean Miller, Texas Tech’s Grant McCasland, and Miami’s Jai Lucas, a former Scheyer assistant. Assistants from top programs including Kentucky, Kansas, Alabama, Tennessee, NC State, and rival UNC were also present.
Rippey didn’t disappoint, putting up 21 points, four rebounds, three assists, and four steals to lead New Heights to victory.
Known for his explosiveness and savvy playmaking, Rippey holds a five-star rating and ranks No. 19 overall and No. 5 among point guards in the 2026 class per the 247Sports Composite. His stock continues to rise, climbing 12 spots over the past year.
New Jersey’s Deron Rippey Jr. (no. 27 ESPN 💯) is up next! He holds offers from Kansas, UNC, Alabama and others 😮💨 #3SSB pic.twitter.com/YR447PJvJ0
— SportsCenter NEXT (@SCNext) May 3, 2025
At the same time, Duke’s 2026 offer list has expanded to include several top-tier prospects—mostly five-star recruits—with the lone exception being four-star power forward Sebastian Wilkins from Brewster Academy (N.H.), who is also a potential late reclass candidate for the 2025 class.
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