Duke basketball head coach Jon Scheyer (Jim Dedmon-USA TODAY Sports)
Potential Duke basketball shotmaker takes over No. 1 ranking
In mid-June, Lake Highlands (Texas) shooting guard Tre Johnson became the fourth 2024 prospect to land a Duke basketball recruiting offer. Skip ahead three weeks. Now, he sits atop the rankings, at least per one site.
On Tuesday, On3 updated its 2024 leaderboard for only the second time, and Johnson jumped from No. 4 to No. 1 overall. However, the 6-foot-6, 180-pound five-star, whose length and smooth stroke would be a welcomed addition to Jon Scheyer's third haul as head coach, still ranks No. 3 on the 247Sports 2024 Composite.
Jamie Shaw explained why he and the rest of the On3 evaluators value Johnson's stock a bit higher than their counterparts at Rivals (ranks him No. 3), 247Sports (No. 3), and ESPN (No. 4):
"Tre Johnson is a shot-making guard who can create scoring opportunities for himself. He has high-level footwork, and his balance is always ready to rise up and knock down a shot. Johnson is shooting 39 percent from three on Nike's EYBL Circuit, playing up in the 17u division...With long arms and his ability to create and make shots, there is too much there to not be excited about his bright future."
He already holds more than a dozen offers and has taken unofficial visits to Baylor, Texas, and UCLA.
Where Duke basketball stands in Tre Johnson's recruitment
Two weeks ago, Tre Johnson noted in an interview with Joe Tipton of On3 that "Duke is a program I've always liked." In short, he praised the winning culture.
But keep in mind that he has called Kentucky his "dream school" in the past.
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One advantage the Blue Devils may hold over the Wildcats in the Johnson sweepstakes is the fact many insiders view Kentucky as the outright leader for another five-star at his position. That five-star is Ian Jackson, who appears at No. 2 on On3's 2024 rankings; he's on Duke's radar but hasn't yet reported an offer out of Durham.
Johnson recently told Eric Bossi of 247Sports that he is in no rush to pick his destination after high school and does not have a timeline for his decision. He has yet to schedule any official visits.
Meanwhile, the Blue Devils remain without a 2024 commit. The other three rising juniors with a Duke offer in hand are five-star small forward Naas Cunningham, five-star small forward Bryson Tucker, and four-star small forward Darren Harris.
Stay tuned to Blue Devil Country for more Duke basketball recruiting updates.