Duke Named Favorite For Five-Star Shooting Guard

Duke and head coach Jon Scheyer have already achieved considerable success in the 2026 recruiting cycle, signing three top prospects. However, the Blue Devils are far from done, as they could potentially add several more talented recruits to their class.

One of those recruits is a top-tier five-star shooting guard whom Duke has been actively pursuing throughout the cycle. While the Blue Devils are still waiting for his decision, one national recruiting expert believes they are emerging as one of two frontrunners to land him.

Duke Emerging as Favorite For Five-Star Shooting Guard

Throughout his recruitment, Duke has been pursuing Jordan Smith Jr., a five-star shooting guard from Paul VI Catholic High School in Washington, DC. Smith narrowed down his list to six schools back in August, naming the Blue Devils alongside Arkansas, Georgetown, Indiana, Kentucky, and Syracuse.

Duke Log — 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

Smith is one of the best prospects in the country, with Rivals' industry rankings listing him as the No. 7 overall player in the 2026 class, the No. 3 shooting guard, and the No. 1 prospect from Virginia.

Although Duke is competing with several programs to win Smith's recruitment, Rivals' senior national basketball recruiting analyst, Jamie Shaw, believes that the Blue Devils, along with Arkansas, have become the frontrunners to land the five-star shooting guard.

Nov 14, 2025; Durham, North Carolina, USA; Duke Blue Devils head coach Jon Scheyer directs his team during the first half against the Indiana State Sycamores at Cameron Indoor Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Rob Kinnan-Imagn Images | Rob Kinnan-Imagn Images

In a recent article, Shaw explained that Duke has been in the front seat for him throughout his recruitment, but the Razorbacks have also been in contention. He noted that Syracuse is another school that could be in play, but reaffirmed that most of his sources believe this recruitment is the Blue Devils' to lose.

"Duke has long been the school I have heard the most associated with," Shaw wrote. "Throughout the process, however, Arkansas has continued to pick up steam. Syracuse is another school I have heard mentioned with Smith. Right now, everyone I am talking to is watching Duke, but they are also keeping an eye on John Calipari."

Duke l — 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

Duke has been making a big push for Smith in recent weeks, hosting him on campus in Durham last week for their game against Florida. Despite the Blue Devils' strong efforts to wrap up his recruitment, Shaw believes that the 6'2" guard won't make a decision until after the new year.

While Smith's recruitment is still up in the air, and Duke might miss out on him, Shaw's recent comments suggest the Blue Devils are in as good a position as possible to secure the five-star.

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