Top-Ranked Duke Basketball Recruiting Prospect Talks Potential Reclass

Eagle's Landing Christian Academy (Ga.) rising junior and heralded phenom AJ Williams has long been on the radar of Jon Scheyer and the rest of the Duke basketball staff in Durham. In fact, the 6-foot-8, 210-pound five-star forward visited the Blue Devils back in late August.

Although Williams hasn't reported an official offer from Scheyer & Co. just yet, there's no doubt that he's still drawing interest from the Duke coaches. In fact, as Williams recently told NBA TV's Krysten Peek in the following video interview, Scheyer was among the coaches who contacted him earlier this week, the first week that college coaches were permitted to directly dial up players in his class.

"Auburn's Steven Pearl and Jon Scheyer, Duke," Williams, who earned a place on the USA Basketball Men's U17 National Team that is set to compete at the FIBA U17 Basketball World Cup in Istanbul, Turkey, beginning next Saturday, first noted as soon as Peek asked about which coaches have been in touch with him since Monday. "It was so many. I have a list on my phone. It's a lot to remember off the top of my head. But it's a lot."

Williams, just over a week out from his 17th birthday on June 28, ranks No. 1 overall on the 247Sports 2028 Composite. The highly advanced athlete's offer count is approaching two dozen, per 247Sports, and he told Peek that Alabama, Florida State, Kansas, and Duke's archrival, UNC, are the most recent to become full-fledged suitors.

Potential Duke Basketball Target Presents Timeline for Reclass Decision

It's still quite possible that AJ Williams will end up as a member of the 2027 recruiting class.

"To be honest, I don't really know about that too far," Williams, a star for Team CP3 on the Nike EYBL circuit, explained to Peek. "Right now, I'm worried about [the USA National Team] and Peach Jam [in mid-July]. Once August and September comes around, I'll have an idea about what I want to do. But for sure, if I know, it'll be known by September or August."

If Williams does opt to reclass to 2027, he would turn 19 the summer after his freshman year of college concludes, thereby making him eligible to hear his name at the 2028 NBA Draft. In other words, given his age and beyond-his-years abilities, some would say it'd be a surprise if he doesn't wind up in the collection of 2027 prospects.

The Duke basketball recruiters haven't extend offers to any 2028 preps just yet but have already officially targeted two talents in the 2027 recruiting arena: Southeastern Prep School (Fla.) five-star guard Beckham Black and Wisconsin Lutheran School four-star forward Kager Kneuppel, younger brother of 2024-25 Blue Devil star and current Charlotte Hornets sensation Kon Knueppel.

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

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