How Duke’s Scheyer Can Get Recruiting Revenge on John Calipari

Duke head coach Jon Scheyer doesn’t lose too many recruiting battles.

Scheyer is arguably the best recruiter in college basketball, with his No. 1-ranked 2026 high school recruiting class marking the third straight year Duke has sealed the nation’s top class.

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The Blue Devils are bringing in four 5-star prospects in Cameron Williams, Deron Rippey Jr., Bryson Howard, and Joaquim Boumtje Boumtje. It’s a star-studded class, but there was one 5-star prospect that Duke lost out on, as Scheyer and Co. were outmatched by John Calipari for the nation’s top 2026 guard.

Mar 26, 2026; San Jose, CA, USA; Arkansas Razorbacks head coach John Calipari looks on against the Arizona Wildcats in the first half during a Sweet Sixteen game of the West Regional of the men’s 2026 NCAA Tournament at SAP Center. Mandatory Credit: Eakin Howard-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Arkansas, Calipari Outlast Duke for 5-Star Guard Jordan Smith Jr.

Jordan Smith Jr. was widely regarded as the top guard in the entire 2026 recruiting class, rated as the No. 3 overall player and No. 1 combo guard, according to the 247Sports 2026 Composite Rankings.

Smith attended Paul VI Catholic (VA), the same high school as current Blue Devil Patrick Ngongba and former Blue Devils Darren Harris, Trevor Keels, and Jeremy Roach. That felt like an advantage for Duke for a while.

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Smith took an official visit to Durham for Countdown to Craziness and, afterward, received a crystal ball prediction to land at Duke. For the next few months, it felt like the Blue Devils were in the driver’s seat to land his services.

Sophomore Guard Jordan Smith Jr. of Paul VI Catholic (Virginia) holds onto the ball during the championship game of the Tournament of Champions against St. John Bosco (California) at Great Southern Bank Arena on Saturday, Jan. 13, 2024. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Then, in the weeks leading up to his commitment, Arkansas suddenly emerged as a team to watch, and in the end, the…

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Publish date : 2026-07-09 21:06:00

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