One Name to Know on 2026 Duke Basketball Recruiting Trail

Until this weekend, there were no confirmed reports of mutual interest between the Duke basketball coaches and IMG Academy (Fla.) senior big man Maxime Meyer. Suddenly, though, the recruitment is in full swing, as the 7-foot-1, 215-pound Canadian has received an offer from Jon Scheyer & Co. and scheduled an unofficial visit to check out the Blue Devils in person.

Oct 4, 2024; Durham, NC, USA; Duke Blue Devils center court logo before the Countdown to Craziness at Cameron Indoor Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jaylynn Nash-Imagn Images | Jaylynn Nash-Imagn Images

Meyer, a mid-level four-star prospect in the 2026 class, will arrive in Durham on Friday, per multiple sources.

He recently visited Florida and Stanford. Both of those trips were of the official variety.

Duke basketball head coach Jon Scheyer — Jan 20, 2024; Durham, North Carolina, USA; Duke Blue Devils head coach Jon Scheyer gestures during the first half against the Pittsburgh Panthers at Cameron Indoor Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Rob Kinnan-Imagn Images | Rob Kinnan-Imagn Images

Just weeks before the early signing period tips off in early November, the late pursuit from the Blue Devils makes sense. After all, there were no other Duke basketball offers out to full-fledged centers in the 2026 cycle.

Add in the fact that Meyer's climb of late on the 247Sports 2026 Composite has been nothing short of eye-popping. Three months ago, he was unranked and with zero stars by his name on most major recruiting sites.

Feb 5, 2025; Syracuse, New York, USA; Detailed view of the Duke Blue Devils logo on a uniform prior to the game against the Syracuse Orange at the JMA Wireless Dome. Mandatory Credit: Rich Barnes-Imagn Images | Rich Barnes-Imagn Images

He debuted as a three-star at No. 257 overall back in late July. Earlier this month, he jumped to No. 139. And on Saturday, his ranking rose to its current spot at No. 102 among his peers.

Meyer checks in at No. 18 in Florida and No. 12 among the nation's 2026 centers.

"Meyer is a developing big and legit 7-footer who won’t turn 18 until January of his senior year," 247Sports' Adam Finkelstein wrote in July after watching him excel in grassroots action.

"He needs strength and is only just scratching the surface of his potential, but has a very intriguing combination of size, natural instincts, and tenacity. He’s already a constant double-double threat (9.1 points and 8.1 rebounds in 3SSB play), high-level rim protector (3.2 blocks), and total stat stuffer on the defensive end of the floor (4.3 total stocks).

Mar 19, 2019; Minneapolis, MN, USA; A detail view of the shoes worn by Golden State Warriors guard Quinn Cook (4) with the Duke Blue Devils logo are seen during the fourth quarter against the Minnesota Timberwolves at Target Center. Mandatory Credit: Brace Hemmelgarn-Imagn Images | Brace Hemmelgarn-Imagn Images

"While he’s not nearly physically developed yet, he doesn’t shy away from contact. He’s willing to be physical, has a long 7-foot-3 wingspan, and huge 9-foot-5 standing reach. He’s very coordinated for his size, a fluid mover in the open floor, and agile enough for an occasional euro-step in the lane.."

Looking for its first prize in the cycle, the powerhouse Duke basketball recruiting team remains active in a handful of other 2026 recruiting races.

Stay tuned to Duke Blue Devils On SI for more Duke basketball recruiting news.