Duke's Battle Heats Up For Five-Star SG

Having already visited Duke, the Blue Devils hosted five-star shooting guard Jordan Smith Jr. for an unofficial visit. Smith's father, Jordan Smith Sr., made the trip with him to Durham as the two decided which would be the best route moving forward.

After the October 4 visit, Smith now sets his sights on Kentucky. The Virginia native's lone official visit thus far (other than at Duke) has been at Louisville and Arkansas. Now, the Wildcats will be added to that list.

Oct 3, 2025; Durham, NC, USA; Duke Blue Devils head coach Jon Scheyer is introduced during player introductions at the Countdown to Craziness at the Cameron Indoor Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jaylynn Nash-Imagn Images | Jaylynn Nash-Imagn Images

It's worth noting that Smith has gone on unofficial visits to Georgetown, Syracuse, and Louisville. Ultimately, On3's Joe Tipton still believes Smith has his sights set on one specific team: "I still classify Duke as the team to beat," Tipton said.

Smith, the No. 2-ranked national recruit, is currently given a 100% chance to commit to Duke, according to 247Sports Crystal Ball Predictions. More often than not, these predictions turn out to be true. That said, Smith still has his Kentucky visit and could add as many more as he pleases.

Recruiting buzz 👀

• Duke the team the beat for top-5 recruit
• Arizona a real contender for 5⭐️
• Michigan hosting a top-10 prospect this weekend

Read: https://t.co/pw8p0WqDFG pic.twitter.com/DgJup8D6Kt
— Joe Tipton (@TiptonEdits) October 8, 2025

Throughout this entire process, Duke has always been the frontrunner. HC Jon Scheyer may not have thrown out the first offer, but Duke officially offered on July 22, 2024. From there, the Blue Devils were his second official visit. Smith, who visited Duke on November 11, 2024, first visited Louisville on October 25.

Kentucky, who is only listed as "warm" in the interest meter, has been in the running for quite some time. HC Mark Pope visited Smith on a few occasions, but they're set to host their official visit on October 10, 2025, nearly one year Smith first visited Duke.

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

Scheyer made sure to stay ahead of the curve with his unofficial visit, knowing Smith would be heading to Kentucky the next week. Smith Sr. spoke about the weekend, "This one was more business. The bells and whistles and all that. It was more about the fit, where the program's going, and how they see him playing."

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

On August 5, 2025, Smith named Arkansas, Duke, Georgetown, Indiana, Kentucky, and Syracuse to his Top 6. Georgetown was one of the first teams to offer Smith, doing so on October 13, 2022. Syracuse was part of a slew of offers thrown his way on May 25, 2024, slightly before Duke joined the party. At the end of the day, Smith is set for a busy end to 2025 with the Blue Devils among five others eagerly awaiting his decision.

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