Potential Finishing Piece to Duke Basketball Class Sets Announcement

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With a soaring ranking and sufficiently smooth skillset to potentially contribute right away as a freshman in a major conference next season, Huntington Prep School (W.Va.) senior forward Braydon Hawthorne is now down to a final five in his recruitment, including the Duke basketball program. And the 6-foot-8, 190-pound four-star has set a date to reveal his decision.
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According to a report from 247Sports' Travis Branham on Sunday evening, Hawthorne's announcement is on tap for 7 p.m. ET Tuesday. He'll name the winner live on YouTube, committing to one of the five schools he's recently visited in Duke, Virginia Tech, Kentucky, Pitt, and West Virginia.
NEWS: Braydon Hawthorne, the No. 33 overall recruit in the 2025 class, will announce his college decision on Tuesday, May 20 at 7:00 PM ET live on @247Sports.
— Travis Branham (@TravisBranham_) May 18, 2025
Has visited Duke, Kentucky, Pittsburgh, Virginia Tech and West Virginia. https://t.co/gEUt8Etzuw pic.twitter.com/TKhbe7Qale
Speaking of West Virginia, Braydon Hawthorne initially committed to the Mountaineers in October and put his pledge in ink during the early signing period in November. However, he formally reopened his recruitment in late March, several weeks before Jon Scheyer and the Blue Devils officially entered the mix.
Duke boasts a three-deep 2025 recruiting haul, consisting entirely of five-star talents in forward Cameron Boozer, forward Nikolas Khamenia, and guard Cayden Boozer.
The Blue Devil collection ranks No. 3 in the country. As things stand, if the recruiters in Durham prevail in the Braydon Hawthorne sweepstakes, their class will move past Arizona and Houston in a return to the top spot in the rankings, where Duke sat for months until five-star forward Shelton Henderson flipped his pledge to the Miami Hurricanes back in April.
Stay tuned to Duke Blue Devils On SI for more Duke basketball recruiting news.

Matt Giles is the editor and publisher of Duke Blue Devils on SI, North Carolina Tar Heels on SI, and NC State Wolfpack on SI, making him a key source for comprehensive coverage of these storied college basketball programs. Since joining SI in 2022, Matt has been dedicated to providing in-depth analysis, breaking news, and exclusive content on all three teams. He covers everything from game previews and recaps to player profiles and recruiting updates. Matt's expert knowledge of these teams has made his work a go-to resource for fans and followers of Duke, NC State, and UNC. As publisher, he shapes the editorial direction, ensuring that the most relevant and timely information reaches his audience.
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