Heart-breaking As Duke’s Jon Scheyer Suffers Another Major Recruiting Loss on Tuesday
Jon Scheyer and the Duke Blue Devils coaching staff have been actively recruiting throughout the spring. They’ve been focused on building their roster for the 2025-26 season by scouting talent across the country, exploring the transfer portal, and extending competitive offers to address key team needs.
However, on Tuesday, the Blue Devils faced a setback. A highly sought-after recruit they’ve been targeting chose a different path, opting to play for another program despite Duke’s strong pursuit and multiple discussions.
According to Joe Tipton of On3 Sports, this latest recruiting update delivers a notable blow to Duke’s efforts.
“Braydon Hawthorne, ranked No. 35 in the 2025 class by On3, has committed to Kentucky,” Tipton reported.
NEWS: 4⭐️ Braydon Hawthorne, On3’s No. 35 overall recruit in the 2025 class, has committed to Kentucky, he announced.
The 6-8 Small Forward is a high-upside prospect with a 7-3 wingspan. Former West Virginia signee. https://t.co/ShfLkgUHgJ pic.twitter.com/2nyc3dMY0G
— Joe Tipton (@TiptonEdits) May 20, 2025
Braydon Hawthorne, a highly touted four-star recruit and one of the top uncommitted prospects in the country, has made his decision. The 6-foot-8 small forward from Huntington Prep chose Kentucky over offers from Duke, West Virginia, Pittsburgh, and Virginia Tech. Hawthorne had originally pledged to West Virginia but reopened his recruitment after head coach Darian DeVries departed the program.
Eric Bossi, National Basketball Director at 247Sports, recently expressed strong confidence in Hawthorne’s long-term upside.
“My optimism about him isn’t centered on his freshman year,” Bossi said. “I’m looking at what he could become over the next three, five, even seven years.”
Duke, meanwhile, is preparing for the 2025-26 season without several key players. Cooper Flagg, Kon Knueppel, Khaman Maluach, Tyrese Proctor, and Sion James will all be unavailable—either due to NBA Draft decisions or expired eligibility.
Despite missing out on Hawthorne, head coach Jon Scheyer still has an elite recruiting class lined up. According to 247Sports, Duke ranks third nationally, trailing only Houston and Arizona.
Leading the class are twin brothers Cameron and Cayden Boozer from Columbus High School in Miami, Florida—Cameron, a 6-foot-9 power forward, and Cayden, a 6-foot-4 point guard. They’re joined by Nikolas Khamenia, a versatile forward from Harvard-Westlake in California. Another top target is Dame Sarr, and as of Tuesday, Duke is considered the frontrunner to land him.
Hawthorne will now be part of a strong incoming group at Kentucky, which also includes fellow four-star recruits Jasper Johnson and Malachi Moreno.
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