Potential In-State Duke Basketball Target to Watch

A top-shelf high school sophomore recently checked out the Duke basketball program.

Dec 31, 2025; Durham, North Carolina, USA; Duke Blue Devils head coach Jon Scheyer directs his team during the second half against the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets at Cameron Indoor Stadium. The Blue Devils won 85-79. Mandatory Credit: Rob Kinnan-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Greensboro Day School (N.C.) standout sophomore Grant Duggins was recently in Durham for an unofficial Duke basketball visit, Phenom Hoop Report reported via social media back on Friday.

There's no doubt the 6-foot-9, 215-pound power forward is bound to rack up a long list of offers in his recruitment. In fact, one blue-blood has already entered the fray, as Duggins reported an offer from the Kansas Jayhawks earlier this week. Meanwhile, his offer sheet also includes the NC State Wolfpack, Florida State Seminoles, and Iowa Hawkeyes, among others.

2029 Grant Duggins took an unofficial visit to Duke today, per sources.

Duggins is the No. 1 player in the state of North Carolina per #PhenomHoops @gduggins28 @CoachJ1977 pic.twitter.com/pmI698Mb4z

— Phenom Hoop Report (@Phenom_Hoops) September 12, 2026

Stacking up at No. 9 overall on ESPN's 2029 SCNEXT 25, he's the top-ranked North Carolina prep in the class.

"My strengths are that I can do a little bit of everything," Duggins explained to Pro Insight during the following video interview in July. "I can shoot. I can drive. I can finish at the rim. I can do a pull-up jumper. I can rebound. And I can guard well, one through five. So, basically just being a Swiss Army knife."

Comparison to One Former Duke Basketball Stretch Forward

While it's still early in Grant Duggins' prep career, his overall frame and budding game already bring to mind another North Carolina native in 2009-2013 Duke basketball player and 2010 Blue Devil national champion Ryan Kelly, who announced his retirement back in April following a 13-year pro career that included stops in the NBA and overseas.

🚨 No. 1 in the Phenom Hoops 2029 North Carolina rankings: Grant Duggins (6'9, Greensboro Day). The clear frontrunner in a stacked sophomore class. 🏀https://t.co/weGeqZ9MtR pic.twitter.com/bAbgoNWRGU

— Phenom Hoop Videos (@PhenomMixtapes) September 2, 2026

"A name to know rising up the national ranks, Grant Duggins is a shooting forward with perimeter skills and advanced feel for the game, developing at powerhouse Greensboro Day," Big Shots Basketball noted about the stock-rising talent last summer. "Smooth stroke, great footwork at his size, and positional versatility. His game draws early comparisons to Ryan Kelly."

At this early juncture in the 2029 recruiting cycle, Jon Scheyer and his powerhouse Blue Devil recruiting team have yet to officially target any high school sophomores. But given Duggins' ranking and the apparent mutual interest between himself and Duke, his name is certainly one to keep an eye on moving forward.

Mar 15, 2025; Charlotte, NC, USA; Duke Blue Devils mascot in the first half of the 2025 ACC Conference Championship game against the Louisville Cardinals at Spectrum Center. Mandatory Credit: Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Meanwhile, the staff in Durham has offers out to more than a handful of undecided 2027 recruits. Plus, Scheyer and his crew are in the mix for a couple of 2028 talents in Coatesville Area High School (Pa.) five-star small forward Colton Hiller and St. Francis High School (Calif.) five-star center Yann Kamagate, who rank No. 1 and No. 2, respectively, on the 247Sports 2028 Composite.