Blue Devil Country

Duke Pulled Out All The Stops During Five-Stars' Visit

Knowing he has more visits on the way, Duke did everything in their power to impress this five-star point guard.
Jordon Lawrenz|
Oct 3, 2025; Durham, NC, USA; Jayson Tatum, NBA Boston Celtics Player helps coach alongside Duke Blue Devils head coach Jon Scheyer during the Countdown to Craziness at the Cameron Indoor Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jaylynn Nash-Imagn Images
Oct 3, 2025; Durham, NC, USA; Jayson Tatum, NBA Boston Celtics Player helps coach alongside Duke Blue Devils head coach Jon Scheyer during the Countdown to Craziness at the Cameron Indoor Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jaylynn Nash-Imagn Images | Jaylynn Nash-Imagn Images

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Duke Blue Devils

After his most recent visit with the Duke Blue Devils, Deron Rippey Jr. has a lot to think about. The highly touted five-star point guard now sets his sights on Tennessee as the Volunteers have a key pair of visitors in town.

Rippey's involvement in Duke's student section went viral as The Cameron Crazies were joined by a future recruit. Whether that wins over the New Jersey native remains to be seen, a decision Blue Devils fans don't want to have to wait much longer for.

Deron Rippey Jr.'s Wild Duke Visit

Before he officially visited, Rippey gave high praise to the Blue Devils. Just hours before his arrival, head coach Jon Scheyer was able to land Bryson Howard, his first commit in the Class of 2026.

With the NBA on his mind, Rippey knew just how much coming to Duke would mean for his career. They're not the only school in the running for him, though, far from it. If the Blue Devils are going to win the battle, they're going to have to earn it.

One of Rippey's main questions for the Blue Devils involved where he fit into their system and what their plans would be for him. In the coming days, interviews will likely be released as Rippey discusses not only his visit with Duke, but Tennessee as well.

Rippey's Recruiting Trail

The Volunteers had to prepare for one of their biggest visit weekends in recent memory. Not only was Rippey coming to town, but four-star Jasiah Jervis was as well. If Tennessee would be able to bring in both Class of 2026 stars, they would be set for years to come.

In reality, that likely won't be the case. October 26, while it's only an exhibition, is a huge date for Duke. They'll be playing Tennessee in a sold-out exhibition game, one that far more than just these two recruits have their eyes on.

After Duke plays Tennessee, they'll remain in constant contact with Rippey until they know their fate. Head coach Kara Lawson has done wonders with the women's team, so Rippey's recruitment would be the fourth five-star player to the Blue Devils in the past week. That said, he's not quite at that position yet.

On November 7, Blair Academy's point guard will officially visit NC State. If somehow he makes up his mind before then, that visit could be cancelled. At this stage, that's highly unlikely as the 6'2'' 175-pound guard is weighing all of his options, even after his viral moment with the Blue Devils.

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Jordon Lawrenz
JORDON LAWRENZ

Jordon Lawrenz serves as the Eastern United States College Recruiting beat writer On SI. Jordon is an accomplished writer covering the NFL, MLB, and college football/basketball. He has contributed to PFSN’s and Heavy’s NFL coverage. Having graduated from the University of Wisconsin - Green Bay with a Sports Communication and Journalism degree, Jordon fully embraced the sports writing lifestyle upon his relocation to Florida.