Five-star point guard Derron Rippey Jr. Committed to the Duke Blue Devils on Tuesday, a decision that pushed the program to the top of the national recruiting class rankings.
Rippey, one of the most explosive guards in the country, chose Duke over NC State, Tennessee, Miami and Texas. He took official visits to each finalist, with the perceived favorite shifting throughout the process before Duke emerged as the clear priority for the fall.
“I felt like they fit my play style,” Rippey told ESPN. “They want to be on the attack on both offense and defense, and that is what I do best. My dream is to win a national championship. Coach Jon Scheyer recruits high-level talent and teaches those players how to play for each other.”
A 6-foot-1 guard from Blair Academy in New Jersey, Rippey is the No. 16 overall prospect in the SC Next 100 and the nation’s No. 3 point guard. He is known for elite burst, powerful finishing at the rim and strong court vision, while also being a tenacious on-ball defender.
Rippey strengthened his standing over the summer on the Adidas 3SSB circuit, averaging 15.2 points and 5.1 assists while shooting 38.1% from 3-point range.
He becomes Duke’s third five-star commitment in the 2026 class, joining Cameron Williams and Bryson Howard, as the Blue Devils rise to No. 1 nationally.
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