Blue Devil Country

Duke Basketball Staff Expresses More Interest in Another Paul VI Star

There are signs of a potential Duke basketball pursuit in the recruitment of Jordan Smith Jr.

Matt Giles

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Duke basketball jerseys / Rob Kinnan-USA TODAY Sports
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Duke basketball has landed four Paul VI Catholic High School (Va.) products this decade: Trevor Keels, Jeremy Roach, and two of the six current Blue Devil freshmen in Darren Harris and Patrick Ngongba II. None of them ranked as high in their respective classes as Paul VI Catholic five-star guard and potential Duke target Jordan Smith Jr. sits on the 247Sports 2026 Composite.

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Smith, who has risen six spots this month to No. 8 overall among the nation's rising high school juniors, was one of the first in the cycle to hear from the Duke basketball staff on June 15, the first day that college coaches were permitted to contact 2026 recruits directly.

And on Saturday, the 6-foot-3, 175-pound Smith told HS Top Recruits that Duke was one of five schools, along with Arkansas, Kansas, Alabama, and Syracuse, to have at least one coach in attendance to check in on him at the ongoing FIBA U17 World Cup in Istanbul.

He's one of the youngest players on the stacked USA Basketball U17 National Team. It features a handful of top-five recruits from both the 2025 and 2026 recruiting arenas, and it includes five 2025 Duke basketball targets in five-stars Cameron Boozer, Cayden Boozer, AJ Dybantsa, Koa Peat, and Jalen Haralson.

Nevertheless, Jordan Smith Jr. has been impactful off the bench through Team USA's 2-0 start in Group B play. The 16-year-old, a high-motor aggressor on both ends of the floor, is averaging 6.5 points, 2.0 rebounds, 1.5 assists, 1.0 steals, and 0.5 blocks in 15.0 minutes per contest, shooting a combined 6-for-11 from the field and 1-for-4 from deep.

The Blue Devils haven't extend any 2026 offers. Smith is clearly among the candidates.

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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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