Kansas Facing Elite Competition for Recruiting Target Deron Rippey Jr.

The Kansas Jayhawks have already set up a number of visits with premier players in the 2026 recruiting class. Among those visits is top-ranked point guard Taylen Kinney, who is set to arrive in Lawrence next week.

Another highly regarded point guard is Deron Rippey Jr., who will begin his official visit to KU on Nov. 2.

The Blair Academy (NJ) star recently announced that he will also be heading to another top program in the coming weeks. Rippey is scheduled to visit Duke from Oct. 21-23, according to Rivals.

Visit News: Composite five-star Deron Rippey Jr., will take an official visit to Duke on October 21st, @247Sports is told. https://t.co/0Fe0mOWW8Y pic.twitter.com/WLQRgexZjb
— Dushawn London (@DushawnLondon1) August 15, 2025

The Jayhawks will be competing with a 12-school finalist list of Duke, Texas, Alabama, Indiana, Louisville, Kentucky, Miami, North Carolina, NC State, Tennessee, and Syracuse for his commitment.

Rippey is a consensus 5-star recruit in the 247 Sports Composite rankings, rated as the No. 17 overall player in the Class of 2026. He also holds the ranking of No. 2 point guard in the country and is regarded as the top player in the state of New Jersey.

This week, he further strengthened his reputation after being named MVP of the Stephen Curry Camp, finishing as one of the biggest standouts of the event.

Over the summer, he also impressed scouts with his performances on the Adidas 3SSB circuit and at the NBPA Top 100 Camp as well.

The 6-foot-2, 175-pound guard has drawn praise for his athleticism and lightning-quick first step. He is considered one of the top two-way guards in the country due to his defensive intensity and ability to score from multiple spots on the floor.

His composure and poise at such a young age have made him an extremely sought-after prospect.

Rippey is also scheduling additional visits with other finalists, as he will make the trip to Chapel Hill to visit North Carolina on Aug. 31.

MORE: Kansas Basketball Visit Primer: Recruits Planning to Take Trips to KU

Tennessee will host him just one week before he arrives in Lawrence, putting him in position to possibly attend KU’s season opener against Green Bay on Nov. 3.

Rippey was named the 2025 Gatorade New Jersey Boys Basketball Player of the Year after an impressive junior season. During that year, he averaged 16.2 points, 5.3 assists, 4.9 rebounds, and 2.2 steals per game.

Kansas will have to fend off some of the biggest names in college basketball to land him. Programs like Duke, UNC, and Kentucky are expected to be major challengers in his recruitment.

Still, the Jayhawks remain firmly in the race for one of the most talented guards in the 2026 class.