Duke Basketball: Huge Prospect Wants to Visit Blue Devils

The Duke basketball staff appears interested in Germantown (Miss.) center Sam Funches, No. 9 overall and No. 1 at his position on the 2026 ESPN 25. And the 6-foot-11, 210-pound high school sophomore sounds high on the Blue Devils.

But the coaches in Durham aren't the only Tobacco Road program with Funches on their radar, and vice versa. NC State entered the growing recruitment on Monday. Meanwhile, UNC is one of the bluebloods he mentioned to Phenom Hoop Report's Patrick O'Brien when listing notable schools he's been in contact with recently.

"Duke, Kentucky, UNC, Memphis, and UCLA, they have shown a lot of interest," Funches said this week, "and we are building a relationship. We will see how things go, but I'm excited about the opportunity."

He also named the Blue Devils among those he hopes to visit.

"Michigan, Duke, Mississippi State, and NC State are some," Funches told O'Brien. "There are a lot more. I'm just excited about the journey."

Funches, currently focusing on improving his agility and speed while adding to his repertoire outside the paint, has already racked up more than a dozen offers.

6’10 2026 Sam Funches @FunchesSam pic.twitter.com/anwrzwhLp9
— TEAM ISO JOE (@TEAMISOBBALL) July 8, 2023

However, despite the relationship he's building with the Duke basketball recruiters, it might be a while before Jon Scheyer and his gang enter the mix with an offer of their own. Their official 2026 wishlist remains blank as they work to add to their two-deep 2024 haul and land their first commitment on the 2025 trail.

Nevertheless, 15-year-old Sam Funches' development and recruitment are worth keeping an eye on moving forward.

Stay tuned to Blue Devil Country on SI.com for more Duke basketball recruiting news.