High-flying recruit wants to hear from Duke basketball coaches

Is a 46-inch vertical enough to draw Duke interest?

Duke basketball mascot (Rob Kinnan-USA TODAY Sports)

Combine Academy (N.C.) small forward Rakease Passmore doesn't yet appear on the Duke basketball recruiting wishlist despite his Blue Devil fandom (more on that in a minute).

For that matter, Passmore still doesn't even show up on most sites' 2024 rankings.

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But the 6-foot-6, 185-pound unrated rising junior has been focusing on hoops for only a few years, per his conversation with Jason Jordan of SI.com this week.

In middle school, Passmore shined as a lightfooted quarterback until a concussion in the eighth grade caused his mother to demand that he steer clear of the gridiron. Although he's playing catchup on the hardwood, his 21 points per game for Garner Road (N.C.) on the Adidas 3SSB circuit this summer suggest he is on the right track.

And it doesn't hurt that Passmore enjoys a reported 46-inch vertical, on full display in the highlights below:

Jordan summarized Passmore's growing repertoire:

"Passmore's athletic ability creates wow-factor plays over the course of a game that tends to overshadow an impressive skill set. He is adept at slashing to the lane, using his length to finish through traffic, but also has an improving stroke from the perimeter to keep the defense off balance."

His hops, wheels, and frame bring to mind recent one-and-done Blue Devil sensation Cassius Stanley.

Rakease Passmore is hoping for Duke basketball attention

Sure, Rakease Passmore has landed offers from several high-major programs, including Auburn, LSU, NC State, Tennessee, and Texas A&M. That said, he implied to Jason Jordan that a Duke offer would be a dream come true:

"Duke was the team I really liked when I started getting into basketball. I would love to hear from them, so we'll see what happens. For me, I just appreciate all the schools reaching out."

Passmore continued:

"It wasn't that long ago that I wasn't even thinking about basketball; now, all of these top coaches are calling all the time. It makes me think about how much further I can take this. That's what I'm motivated by."

Duke's 2024 offer sheet, which has yet to produce a commitment, contains six names: five-star shooting guard Tre Johnson, five-star combo guard Dylan Harper, five-star small forward Naas Cunningham, five-star small forward Bryson Tucker, four-star small forward Darren Harris, and four-star center James Brown.

Stay tuned to Blue Devil Country for more Duke basketball recruiting updates.