Duke lands 5-star PG Deron Rippey Jr., Blue Devils' third top-15 recruit in 2026 class
Rippey is an explosive lead guard who thrives on applying relentless ball pressure and making opposing guards uncomfortable.
Deron Rippey Jr., a five-star guard and the nation’s No. 1 point guard in the 2026 class, committed to Duke on Tuesday.
By adding the 6-foot-2, 175-pound guard from Blairstown, N.J., the Blue Devils continue their strategy of recruiting for defense and physicality. Rippey becomes the Blue Devils’ third five-star prospect in the 2026 recruiting cycle, joining Cameron Williams and Bryson Howard, and the second No. 1 player at his position Duke has landed in the class, joining Williams (power forward). With this commitment, Duke holds the No. 1 recruiting class.
According to 247Sports, this is Duke’s first time signing the No. 1 point guard in a class since 2011, when the program landed Austin Rivers.
🚨BREAKING: 5⭐️ Deron Rippey Jr. has committed to Duke, he tells @TheAthleticCBB
He averaged 15.0 points, 6.0 assists, 3.6 rebounds and 2.9 steals per game on the 3SSB circuit pic.twitter.com/QjgPtBgNVc
— Tobias Bass (@tobias_bass) December 30, 2025
Rippey chose Duke over NC State, Miami, Tennessee and Texas. He averaged 15.0 points, a circuit-best 6.0 assists, 3.6 rebounds and 2.9 steals per game playing for New Heights on the 3SSB Circuit this past summer.
Rippey fits Duke’s bill. He is an explosive lead guard who thrives on applying relentless ball pressure and making opposing guards uncomfortable. His athleticism and quick burst make him dynamic with the ball, allowing him to create game-changing plays in the blink of an eye.
He’s made noticeable mechanical improvements to his outside jumper, which translated to 34 percent shooting from 3-point range this summer. Rippey’s confidence was evident, as he consistently took — and made — difficult shots throughout the summer circuit. His pull-up jumper from the midrange is already a threat. Given the many ways he already impacts the floor, if he can knock down 3s at a reliable rate, it will elevate his game to another level.
While he currently profiles more as a scoring guard, the point guard savvy is there. As the game continues to slow down for him and he grows more comfortable alongside NBA-level talent, he should sharpen his decision-making, and his turnover numbers should trend down.
Rippey adds to Duke’s priorities on defense
Duke has now added four top-100 prospects in the 2026 class — Rippey, Williams, Howard and Maxime Meyer — but the bigger question is how they fit together. Howard and Williams project as one of the best freshman duos in the country, with Williams already viewed as a potential No. 1 pick in the 2027 NBA Draft. Rippey should help lead the backcourt. All three have legitimate NBA upside, with Howard and Williams expected to be lottery picks.