This incoming Duke basketball recruiting class is a bit different than in past years.
Head coach Jon Scheyer and his staff once again built one of the top high school classes in the entire country, but this is the first time that the Blue Devils don't have a surefire one-and-done NBA prospect in the last few years.
Now, some of that has to do with the 2026 recruiting class itself. Most of the top prospects in the class are viewed as more long-term gems.
Most, if not all, of these rookies will be playing more complementary roles and could be multi-year college players. Here are three young Blue Devils I'm buying the hype on now.
Deron Rippey Jr.
It isn't too often the top point guard in an entire high school recruiting class will enter college basketball as the fourth guard in the pecking order on his team, but that is where Deron Rippey Jr. stands. The 5-star recruit was rated as the No. 1 point guard in the 2026 recruiting class, according to the 247Sports 2026 Composite Rankings.
Now, that is not a knock on Rippey at all. Actually, his being lower in the guard room as a rookie could be a fantastic thing for his development. With Caleb Foster, John Blackwell, and Cayden Boozer to learn from, the rookie will receive fantastic mentorship.
The 6'2" guard is a fantastic athlete and a tenacious perimeter defender. Rippey might be a little undersized, but he makes up for it with his motor.
It's hard to imagine the Blair Academy (NJ) product playing significant minutes as a freshman, but he has a fantastic opportunity to learn from the other guards in the room. If Rippey elects to stay in Durham for multiple years, he could be a fantastic lead guard down the road.
Maxime Meyer
Among Duke's stellar incoming freshman class, Canadian seven-footer Maxime Meyer has gotten the least amount of buzz. The 4-star prospect played at IMG Academy and will probably have a minimal role as a freshman with the Blue Devils.
Duke probably has the deepest team in America heading into the 2026-27 season. Behind guys like Patrick Ngongba, Drew Scharnowski, Joaquim Boumtje Boumtje, and Cameron Williams, it's tough to see Meyer carving out any sort of role this year.
However, the seven-footer is extremely raw, and under an elite developer of talent like Scheyer, Meyer can be a focal point in a year or two. He has great feel for the game and is already a stellar rebounder and rim protector. If the NCAA didn't pass its new age-based eligibility model, there probably would've been a good chance Meyer would've redshirted in 2026-27.
Still, he has the long-term tools and size to be highly impactful down the line. Meyer might not get a ton of attention now, but he could after some time in the Duke system.
Cayden Boozer
Cayden Boozer is in a bit of a different position than the other two. He's already extremely talented and would probably be the lead guard for most high-major teams. But with Duke's crowded backcourt, he will likely serve a complementary role for another year.
Boozer will probably start some games this year, but I think Caleb Foster should be the team's starting point guard alongside John Blackwell. That means another season coming off the bench for Boozer.
The Miami native averaged over 22 minutes a game for the Blue Devils as a rookie and has already shown he can lead a championship-caliber team. In the five games Foster missed last season in the ACC and NCAA Tournaments, Boozer averaged 13.4 points and 3.4 rebounds while notching 16 assists to nine turnovers as the only other true guard in the rotation.
I don't think Boozer will have the chance to display his full potential this season, but if he remains in Durham a year from now and Foster does not, that will give him the chance to lead the offensive charge. With the "5-in-5" rule, there are a ton of different ways Duke's backcourt can look in 2027-28.
All four guards on this season's roster have the option to come back a year from now. It obviously remains to be seen what will happen, but if Boozer and/or Rippey are able to lead the charge next year, both can explode in terms of production.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com/college/duke as 3 Duke Basketball Players I'm Buying Long-Term Hype On.