Top-Ranked Duke Basketball Target Endorses Asa Montgomery's Decision

The 2027 Duke basketball recruiting class could wind up including one or more reclassified prospects.

Mar 14, 2026; Charlotte, NC, USA; The Duke Blue Devils mascot is seen during a timeout against the Virginia Cavaliers during the men's ACC Conference Tournament Championship at Spectrum Center. Mandatory Credit: Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

There hasn't been much chatter from national insiders of late regarding the Yann Kamagate sweepstakes. But it does at least appear as though the St. Francis High School (Calif.) five-star center would be open to the idea of joining forces with the latest Duke basketball pledge in Hillgrove High School (Ga.) five-star small forward Asa Montgomery, who ranks No. 8 overall on the 247Sports 2027 Composite and is the third heralded addition to the Blue Devils' confirmed 2027 recruiting collection.

"That's the move fam," Kamagate commented on Wednesday afternoon in response to a social media post revealing Montgomery's decision to commit to Duke basketball head coach Jon Scheyer and suit up for the Blue Devils next season.

Yann Kamagate comment under Asa’s commitment post

Yeah Scheyer let’s get him to Durham pic.twitter.com/7s85pgjy75

— Blue Devils (@BlueDevils) October 28, 2026

Kamagate is a 7-foot, 230-pound junior who checks in at No. 1 overall on the 247Sports 2028 Composite. That said, as several recruiting experts have pointed out over the past few months, he's a prime candidate to potentially reclassify and join the 2027 class at whichever school he ends up choosing in his loaded recruitment.

Of course, given his ranking, it should come as no surprise that Kamagate's offer sheet already includes over two dozen programs. That list includes the Blue Devils, who officially entered the mix with an offer back in early July, along with the Arizona Wildcats, BYU Cougars, Kansas Jayhawks, Kentucky Wildcats, and UNC Tar Heels, just to name a few.

"Kamagate has glaring size and athleticism, but he's different from most young and athletic big men for a few key reasons," 247Sports director of basketball scouting Adam Finkelstein noted in June while Kamagate was steadily making his way to the top of the rankings in the cycle. "First, he has soft hands at an early stage...the foundation for a lot of potential future development.

"Second, he's very mobile — not just in terms of running in straight lines but being able to fluidly change direction and cover the court. Third, he's shown a rapid learning curve..."

Another 2028 Duke Basketball Target Who Might Reclassify

Jon Scheyer and his crew are also still in contention for Coatesville Area High School (Pa.) junior small forward Colton Hiller. The 6-foot-6, 210-pound five-star just so happens to rank one notch below Yann Kamagate on the 247Sports 2028 Composite.

And Hiller, who recently checked out the Blue Devils and Florida Gators on official visits, has confirmed in recent weeks that he's still weighing the possibility of reclassifying to 2027. Since he didn't turn 16 until June and won't be eligible for the NBA Draft until 2029, he would have to spend at least two years in college if he opts for the reclassification route.

Duke's 2027 class currently features Asa Montgomery, Wisconsin Lutheran High School five-star power forward Kager Knueppel, and a projected 2028 first round draft pick in Australian point guard Luke Paul. That group of future Blue Devils stacks up No. 5 nationally, per 247Sports.