Blue Devil Country

Duke Basketball Recruiters Survive Cut for Surging Target

The Duke basketball coaches are alongside UNC and a few other bluebloods in pursuit of four-star guard Acaden Lewis.

Matt Giles

Duke basketball head coach Jon Scheyer
Duke basketball head coach Jon Scheyer / Tim Heitman-USA TODAY Sports
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Sidwell Friends School (Washington, D.C.) guard Acaden Lewis is one of only a few rising high school seniors who hold offers from every bonafide modern blueblood. Duke basketball became the final piece to that feat three weeks ago when third-year head coach Jon Scheyer officially entered the fray for the 6-foot-2, 170-pound four-star shortly after watching him shine at the DC Live prep showcase.

And the Blue Devils are among the four bluebloods to land in Lewis' top eight suitors, which he announced on Wednesday. The other three are UNC, Kentucky, and UConn, with Syracuse, Tennessee, Auburn, and Michigan rounding out his finalists.

Kansas, which extended an offer a few days before Duke, is the only blueblood absent from the list.

Lewis, who began the year at No. 100 overall on the 247Sports 2025 Composite but has since skyrocketed to No. 47, visited Duke's archrival, UNC, in late June. Plus, he has already scheduled a return trip to Chapel Hill, as he'll check out the Tar Heels, this time on an official visit, the first weekend of October.

However, Lewis plans to visit all eight of his finalists before reaching a decision in his recruitment. He'll likely announce a winner in time for the early signing period in November.

Based on what the slick playmaker said about the Duke basketball program during his recent chat with Zagsblog's Charlie Parent, Jon Scheyer's Blue Devils are squarely in the mix.

"They have somewhat of the DMV pipeline with guys like Trevor Keels, Darren Harris, and Pat Ngongba," Acaden Lewis explained to Parent about Duke's recruiting prizes from Paul VI Catholic (Va.) this decade alone (left out Jeremy Roach). "They've had a pipeline and successful guys from this area, so it's great to see that they think I could be the next big thing from this area.

"I have a great relationship with Coach Scheyer and his staff. They just seem fired up about me and think I can come in and play big minutes right away."

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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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