Blue Devil Country

Duke Basketball Coach Returns Home to Recruit Five-Star Target

The Duke basketball staff has one not-so-secret weapon for the homestretch of Shelton Henderson's recruitment.

Matt Giles

Duke basketball
Duke basketball / Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images
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Five-star forward Shelton Henderson will be in Durham for his Duke basketball official visit the first weekend of October. That, of course, coincides with the Blue Devils' annual Countdown to Craziness celebration in Cameron Indoor Stadium next Friday night.

ALSO READ: Major 2025 Duke Recruiting Target Reveals Finalists

First, though, third-year Duke basketball assistant coach Jai Lucas traveled to his home state of Texas on Wednesday to once again show the 17-year-old Henderson that he remains a top priority for Jon Scheyer's crew. And it shouldn't hurt that the 35-year-old Lucas, a former four-star prep who went on to play at Florida for a season before transferring to Texas, is an alum of Henderson's Bellaire High School.

The Bellaire basketball program's official account posted the following picture to advertise Jai Lucas' check-in with Henderson at the school:

Henderson, a 6-foot-6, 220-pound chiseled athlete who landed an offer from Duke basketball head coach Jon Scheyer back in early June, ranks No. 22 overall, No. 5 among small forwards, and No. 2 in Texas on the 247Sports 2025 Composite.

In early August, he named a top six of Duke, LSU, Texas, Houston, Texas Tech, and Louisville.

There are still no expert forecasts in the 247Sports Crystal Ball or Rivals FutureCast for the Shelton Henderson sweepstakes. That said, two picks popped up in the On3 Recruiting Prediction Machine back in July, and both still point to Scheyer, Lucas, and the Blue Devils eventually coming out on top.

ALSO READ: New Duke Sniper Torches Nets in Intrasquad Scrimmage

Stay tuned to Duke Blue Devils On SI for more Duke basketball recruiting news.

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Matt Giles
MATT GILES

Matt Giles is the editor and publisher of Duke Blue Devils on SI, North Carolina Tar Heels on SI, and NC State Wolfpack on SI, making him a key source for comprehensive coverage of these storied college basketball programs. Since joining SI in 2022, Matt has been dedicated to providing in-depth analysis, breaking news, and exclusive content on all three teams. He covers everything from game previews and recaps to player profiles and recruiting updates. Matt's expert knowledge of these teams has made his work a go-to resource for fans and followers of Duke, NC State, and UNC. As publisher, he shapes the editorial direction, ensuring that the most relevant and timely information reaches his audience.

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