Five-Star Small Forward Details Duke Recruitment

While Duke and head coach Jon Scheyer have already secured commitments from three of their top targets in the 2026 class, the Blue Devils are still actively recruiting several of the nation's other elite prospects.

One of those prospects is a five-star small forward and top-three prospect in the country, who recently provided an update on where the Blue Devils stand in his recruitment.

Five-Star Small Forward Updates Duke Recruitment

Ever since Bruce Branch III, a five-star small forward from Gilbert, Arizona, who plays for Prolific Prep in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, reclassified from the 2027 recruiting class to the 2026 class, Duke has consistently been named as a team to watch in his recruitment.

Branch was previously the No. 1-ranked prospect in the 2027 class, and after his reclassification, he's still considered one of the best recruits in the country. Rivals' industry rankings list him as the No. 2 overall player in the 2027 class and the No. 1 small forward.

Several teams are pursuing Branch, but the five-star recently told Rivals' Joe Tipton that six schools are standing out the most: Duke, BYU, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisville, and USC.

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

Branch broke down each school's recruitment of him with Tipton. When discussing Duke specifically, he praised Blue Devils star freshman Cameron Boozer, noting that he almost got dunked on by him during his sophomore year. He also mentioned that he likes Duke and is a big fan of Scheyer.

“Duke’s been talking to me," Branch told Tipton. "I mean, really everyone’s talking to me. Cam Boozer, I played him when I was at Perry my sophomore year. He’s good, not going to lie. He almost dunked on me. That was crazy. I got out of the way. That was a business decision."

Dec 20, 2025; New York, New York, USA; Duke Blue Devils forward Cameron Boozer (12) looks to shoot the ball against the Texas Tech Red Raiders during the first half at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images | Brad Penner-Imagn Images

He continued, "I like Duke. Jon Scheyer came to one of our practices. Really cool guy. It was just a quick, nice-to-meet-you type of thing. He said he wants us at Duke and stuff like that. Honestly, really cool guy. Like I said, I’m all about relationships.”

While Branch and Duke have a mutual interest, there is no record of the Blue Devils officially extending him an offer yet. That could change in the coming weeks if Scheyer and his staff decide to make a push for the five-star forward.

Branch told Tipton that he is still early in his process and doesn't expect to make a decision anytime soon, which gives Duke plenty of time to further boost its standing with one of the top players in the 2026 class.

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