Duke basketball coach Jon Scheyer has begun courting the next generation of elite talent, dispatching offers to prospects in the 2027 and 2028 recruiting cycles. The Blue Devils already hold a verbal commitment from 4‑star forward Kager Knueppel for the 2027 class, a sign of the program’s early grip on future stars.
A New Era of Recruiting
In the 2028 tier, Duke extended scholarships to two five‑star athletes, Colton Hiller and AJ Williams, with Williams perched at the apex of his class.
Williams is currently showcasing his abilities for Team USA at the FIBA U17 Men’s World Cup in Istanbul, where the squad has opened its campaign with four victories by an average margin of 50 points.
The 16‑year‑old leads the tournament in scoring at 16.3 points per game and grabs 8.3 rebounds, a double‑double that has attracted attention from powerhouse programs.
Offers have poured in from Kansas, North Carolina, Alabama and Duke itself, making the young forward one of the most coveted recruits on the radar.
AJ Williams and Hiller stand as the only 2028 prospects to receive an invitation from Duke, underscoring the Blue Devils’ selective approach.
A Global Scouting Lens
The recruitment sweep reflects a broader trend of programs turning to international competitions to identify standout players, with scouts watching from Madison, Wisconsin to Greenville, South Carolina.
The tournament in Turkey highlights the reach of U.S. basketball, linking the Blue Devils’ pursuit to venues from Washington, D.C., to Istanbul, Turkey, and beyond to locales such as Puerto Rico and Japan that continue to nurture the sport.
As the recruitment cycle unfolds, the commitments and offers announced this week will shape not only the composition of next year’s roster but also the narrative of how elite programs chase the next generation of basketball stars.