Duke gearing up for another top-ranked class in 2023
Jon Scheyer’s first-ever recruiting class features three prospects ranked within the top five – No. 1 Dereck Lively II, No. 2 Dariq Whitehead, and No. 5 Kyle Filipowski. Not to mention, five-star wing Mark Mitchell, four-star sharpshooter Jaden Schutt, and 7-foot-1 center Christian Reeves.
After assembling the No. 1 ranked recruiting class in 2022, let’s look ahead and see how things are shaping out in 2023.
The Blue Devils have already landed two commitments in the junior class, five-star point guard Caleb Foster and top-25 forward Sean Stewart.
It’s important to note that Foster could reclassify and forgo his senior year of high school, but a decision won’t be made until after the season.
Who else has Duke offered in 2023?
Let’s break down the recruitments of each player that Duke has offered in the class of 2023.
GG Jackson
GG Jackson is fresh off an official visit to Duke over the weekend, telling On3’s Jamie Shaw, “It was great.” For more on that conversation, click here.
The five-star recruit has also taken official visits to both North Carolina and Georgetown. Next up, Jackson will take his fourth official visit to South Carolina, the home-state school, on Jan. 18th.
North Carolina was seen as the early, heavy favorite but it appears Duke has made up some major ground. His recruitment isn’t over just yet though, as Virginia and Auburn are still both in the mix.
However, we shouldn’t have to wait too long to hear a decision from Jackson, as sources have told On3 that a commitment could be made within the next couple of months.
If I had to guess, I would expect this to come down to North Carolina or Duke.
Jared McCain
One of the top junior prospects on the west coast, Jared McCain, is also considering the Blue Devils. The 6-foot-2 guard will take an official visit to Duke early next month, on Feb. 6-8. Not long after his trip to Durham, McCain will pack his bags once again for an official visit to Gonzaga on Feb. 12-14.
McCain has also taken official visits to Houston and Louisville, as well as unofficial visits to UCLA and LMU.
It still might be too early to pick a favorite for McCain, considering he’s in no rush to make a decision. He told On3 he’s not planning to announce until his senior year.
To read more on McCain’s recruitment, click here.
Mackenzie Mgbako
Mackenzie Mgbako was one of the first prospects in the 2023 class for Duke to prioritize. The five-star forward took an official visit to Duke in September with Caleb Foster, who committed to the Blue Devils just a couple of weeks after returning home.
There were scuffles that Mgbako could follow suit, but that didn’t happen as Mgbako’s recruitment is still open. Despite everything, Duke is still in a good position with Mgbako. He’s also officially visited Kentucky, Ohio State, and Memphis.
You can read more about Mgbako’s recruitment here.
JJ Taylor
It appears Duke has backed off of the recruitment of JJ Taylor a bit after he announced he would be transferring to Kanye West’s school, Donda Academy.
Taylor has taken an official visit to Kentucky, and an unofficial to his home state of Illinois.
Baylor, Gonzaga, and Texas have all also been in contact with Taylor. It doesn’t look like Taylor will make a decision anytime soon, but at this time, I don’t see Duke being his pick.
Matas Buzelis & Taylor Bowen
Back in October of 2021, Duke offered Brewster Academy teammates Matas Buzelis and Taylor Bowen.
Buzelis, a five-star prospect, has taken official visits to Kentucky, Florida State, and Wake Forest. He hasn’t set up an official visit to Duke yet, but you can bet he will make a trip to Durham.
Buzelis isn’t in a rush to make a decision, but my guess is this will come down to a Kentucky versus Duke battle.
To read more on Buzelis, click here.
Bowen has set to visit Duke but has been to Providence and UConn both unofficially. Bowen is also a guy that isn’t in a rush to make a decision, so it’s still a bit early to pick a leader.