Duke basketball recruiting: Jon Scheyer visits top Chicago prep

Jon Scheyer is giving special attention to James Brown five weeks before the Duke basketball recruiting target's scheduled visit for Countdown to Craziness.

First-year Duke basketball head coach Jon Scheyer was back in his home state on Monday to visit the No. 1 high school junior in Chicago, St. Rita (Ill.) center James Brown. On3's Joe Tipton reported the news, noting that Missouri head coach Dennis Gates would also be in town on Monday to visit the top-tier four-star.

Brown, who ranks No. 31 overall on the 247Sports 2024 Composite and boasts more than two dozen offers, is the only center in his class on the Blue Devils' wishlist. 

That and the fact Scheyer traveled to his high school — just days after the fall recruiting period got underway — suggests the 6-foot-10, 210-pound nimble big man is a high-priority target for the Duke staff. Furthermore, remember that Brown will be in Durham for an official visit on the weekend of Oct. 21.

His trip to Duke will coincide with the program's annual Countdown to Craziness, a celebration of all things Blue Devils and an introduction to the next squad that almost always doubles as a significant boost to recruiting efforts.

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Although James Brown has neither named finalists nor specified a timeline for his recruitment, it's worth noting that he's already scheduled all five of his allotted official visits for his junior year.

The other four programs on tap to host him in the coming months are Michigan State, Missouri, UNC, and Illinois.

Stay tuned to Blue Devil Country for more Duke basketball recruiting updates.