The Cameron Crazies did their part for Duke’s biggest recruiting weekend, and 5-star forward Asa Montgomery got the full treatment.
Montgomery was in Durham on an official visit for Saturday night’s Countdown to Craziness event at Cameron Indoor, where Duke got its first public look at the 2026-27 roster. But the bigger storyline for Jon Scheyer and his staff was the Georgia native sitting in the building as Duke tried to finish the job after a promising in-home visit last week.
The atmosphere at Cameron Indoor seemed to work in Duke’s favor. The scrimmages and dunk contest had a true game-day feel, and that kind of setting is exactly what Duke was hoping to show Montgomery.
The student section added its own push, chanting for him to come sit with them in the crowd. He eventually did, and it looked like he enjoyed the moment.
"Sit with us!" Priority Duke basketball recruiting target Asa Montgomery answers the call from the Cameron Crazies!
And of course, he holds up the baby! 😈🏀🎥⬇️ pic.twitter.com/X6RukitY4F
- Matt Giles (@MattGilesBD) October 4, 2026
The buzz coming out of the visit has Duke in a strong position. Duke insider John Watson logged a prediction on Sunday, per 247Sports, for the Blue Devils to land Montgomery. The sense around the visit is that Duke is going to be tough to beat.
Montgomery has already been to LSU, Florida, North Carolina, and UConn. He also has trips lined up for Arizona and Louisville later this month, though those are being viewed as tentative for now. The post-visit momentum is real, and Montgomery should be on commit watch after this weekend.
Duke now has two commitments in its 2027 recruiting class: 5-star Kager Knueppel, who committed over the summer, and Australian point guard Luke Paul, who joined on Thursday.
Montgomery may end up being the final major piece for Scheyer in this class. Duke is also expected to prioritize roster retention for next season and keep room available for transfer portal additions in the offseason.
Scheyer has usually signed larger high school classes, but this cycle could settle at three recruits. Montgomery is the only official visit Duke currently has scheduled for the rest of the preseason, and that may change.
For now, Scheyer and his staff are keeping things quiet, just as they did with Paul.
In Other News...
Duke's Newcomers Already Created The Roster Battle Fans Wanted
Dukes annual Countdown to Craziness scrimmage did exactly what fans hoped it would do: create a little early-season noise around a roster that suddenly looks a lot more interesting. The white team edged the blue team 29-24, and the event offered a first real glimpse at a mix of newcomers who already seem ready to push for minutes. Freshman Deron Rippey Jr., Patrick Ngongba and transfer John Blackwell all flashed in ways that should only sharpen the competition heading into the season.
There will be some growing pains along the way, especially for freshmen like Joaqim Boumtje Boumtje and Cameron Williams, who are still adjusting to the speed and physicality of college basketball. But that is part of the appeal of this group, too. Duke wanted roster tension, internal pressure and a reason for fans to lean in early, and the scrimmage suggested the Blue Devils may have all three before October is even over. [Read more 🡒]
Dukes Season Kickoff Hinted At Two Dangerous ACC Contenders
Dukes annual Countdown to Craziness did what it is supposed to do: turn an offseason showcase into an early look at a program that expects to matter. The men and women both got their moment in front of the Cameron crowd, with Jon Scheyer and Kara Lawson front and center as the school leaned into the kind of optimism that comes after recent NCAA tournament runs and enough returning buzz to make the ACC race feel very real.
The intrigue, though, is different on each side. Scheyers group looks built to be in the national conversation again, even if it does not have an obvious singular face yet, while Lawsons team arrives with a sharper edge after her latest international success with Team USA. Between the scrimmage flashes and the coach-driven confidence, Duke left the building looking less like a school opening a season and more like one with two teams already measuring themselves against the leagues best. [Read more 🡒]
Duke Fans Got Their First Real Clue About This Roster
Dukes annual Countdown to Craziness offered the first real look at this years group inside Cameron Indoor Stadium, with the Blue-White scrimmage giving fans a chance to size up the rotation and get a feel for how the pieces fit. It was the kind of early October snapshot that does not answer every question, but it does at least start to show which players are ready to make an impression before the games count.
The scrimmage had the usual mix of energy and experimentation, and the evening ended with Team White coming out on top in the Elam ending format, thanks to a three-pointer from Deron Rippey Jr. Duke will not have long to sit on the exhibition notes, either, with a scrimmage against Belmont coming up as the next opportunity to see whether the early flashes translate into something more reliable. [Read more 🡒]