Son of Duke Basketball Alum Stan Brunson Garnering National Interest

A newly minted five-star in the 2028 class has already checked out the Duke basketball program on an unofficial visit.

Mar 12, 2026; Charlotte, NC, USA; Duke Blue Devils mascot on the court in the first half at Spectrum Center. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Last November, Will Brunson was in Cameron Indoor Stadium for an unofficial visit with the Blue Devils when the 2025-26 Duke basketball squad defeated the visiting Howard Bison, 93-56, as part of The Brotherhood Run. At the time, the 6-foot-5, 185-pound small forward, who just so happens to be the son of 1993-96 Duke basketball reserve Stan Brunson, attended Rutgers Preparatory School in New Jersey and stacked up at No. 32 overall on the 247Sports 2028 Composite.

Brunson has since transferred to IMG Academy in Florida. He has climbed four spots to No. 28 overall in the cycle. And it sounds like he's seen a significant uptick in his recruitment over the past year, as he recently broke down where things stand in the process while appearing on the Up Next Podcast.

"I've been on a visit to Notre Dame, NC State, Duke, and Oklahoma State," Brunson, now boasting almost two dozen offers but still not showing up on the official Blue Devil wishlist just yet, noted. "To be honest, I'm just really looking for an opportunity to get on the floor [in college]. But I also want a coach that believes in me, a coach that really believes in me and wants to put work into my development."

Will Brunson's Thoughts on Duke Basketball and College Hoops

Of course, given the fact his dad played for Mike Krzyzewski in Durham, it's no surprise that Will Brunson's family followed the Blue Devils closely when he was a kid. That said, judging by his comments during the podcast appearance, that connection by no means suggests he's a diehard Duke basketball fan.

Mar 19, 2026; Greenville, SC, USA; Duke Blue Devils head coach Jon Scheyer in the first half during a first round game of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Bon Secours Wellness Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

"Well, you know, my dad went to Duke," Brunson explained. "So, everybody in the house was always going for Duke when I was growing up. In the past, like, three years, I just became a huge college basketball fan...I'm not really a fan of [any one school] right now."

Will Brunson's Scouting Report on His Strengths as a Prospect

While Brunson believes one aspect of his game stands out, there's no doubt he wants to improve on his overall repertoire as a bucket-getter and facilitator.

"My strength is my mid-range," Brunson said on the Up Next Podcast. "I feel like I work on that every day. So, just getting to my spots and getting to my mid-range when I'm not feeling my three or there's a big man in the paint, that's my strength. Another thing I feel like is my decision-making because I've always been a pass-first type of guy...I'm trying to do it all. That's what I strive to do."

Duke basketball head coach Jon Scheyer and his staff have extended offers to only two players on the 2028 recruiting trail: Coatesville Area High School (Pa.) five-star small forward Colton Hiller, who ranks No. 1 overall on the 247Sports 2028 Composite and has now scheduled an official visit with the Blue Devils, and St. Francis High School (Calif.) five-star center Yann Kamagate, who is a candidate to reclassify to 2027 but currently checks in at No. 2 overall among his 2028 peers.