Duke Just Entered A Recruitment That Could Speed Up Fast

As Duke and other top programs vie for the highly coveted Brady Pettigrew, the young basketball star considers reclassifying to make his college decision sooner rather than later.

Bolingbrook High School junior Brady Pettigrew is already on Duke’s 2028 radar, but the story isn’t locked into that class just yet.

Pettigrew told Stock Risers recruiting insider Jake Weingarten that a move up a grade is still in play, even after Duke’s offer arrived on Thursday. The 6-foot-4, 185-pound combo guard, who turned 17 in early June, made it clear the door remains open.

"No, it's not over," the 6-foot-4, 185-pound combo guard, who turned 17 back in early June, explained to Weingarten about chatter that he might move up a grade before it's all said and done. "It depends on what college I feel like is the right fit."

Pettigrew’s recruiting board is already crowded. He sits at No. 12 overall on the 247Sports 2028 Composite after jumping three spots earlier this month, and he said he has roughly three dozen offers. Among the schools he named as most involved right now are Duke, Illinois, Kentucky, BYU, Michigan, Arkansas, Florida, Ohio State and UNC.

UNC is set to host him on an official visit this weekend. He has already taken visits to Michigan, Indiana and Illinois.

For Pettigrew, the Duke offer carried real weight.

"Really cool," Pettigrew noted to Weingarten about officially adding Jon Scheyer and the Blue Devils to his impressive list of suitors. "They have been one of the best schools every year.

It's a dream come true to have an offer from there. [Scheyer] told me to keep working hard, I'm on the right path, and to shoot the three off ball screens more."

That shooting touch is a big part of the package. Pettigrew hit nearly 50 percent of his threes while playing for Bradley Beal Elite in EYBL action over the spring and summer.

He also summed up his game in simple terms.

He described himself to Weingarten as "a winner" - plain and smile - adding that "rather than scoring, passing, defending, or anything on the court, that's what I'm gonna get done."

Pettigrew is one of five undecided prospects on Duke’s 2028 offer list. The group includes the top two players on the 247Sports 2028 Composite, plus fellow reclass candidates in St. Francis High School (Calif.) five-star center Yann Kamagate, Coatesville Area High School (Pa.) five-star small forward Colton Hiller, Faith Family Academy (Texas) five-star point guard Josiah Rose and The Tatnall School (Del.) five-star small forward Mason Collins.

Duke has finished with one of the nation’s top two recruiting classes in every cycle since Jon Scheyer took over for Mike Krzyzewski in 2022. The Blue Devils still don’t have a 2028 commitment, but they already have three early 2027 pledges: Wisconsin Lutheran High School five-star power forward Kager Knueppel, Australian point guard Luke Paul and Hillgrove High School (Ga.) five-star small forward Asa Montgomery.

In Other News...

Nate Sheppard Just Pushed Duke Into A Much Bigger Conversation

Nate Sheppard turned a routine late-season game into a statement performance against Boston College, and in the process pushed Duke into a much bigger conversation. The sophomore running back set multiple school records in the win, including five rushing touchdowns in a single game and 18 total touchdowns on the season, giving the Blue Devils a centerpiece who has been as productive as any player in the country.

For Duke, the timing matters as much as the numbers. Sheppards surge helped secure bowl eligibility and reinforced his standing among the FBS leaders in all-purpose yards and total touchdowns, the kind of production that changes how opponents prepare and how the rest of the schedule looks from here. [Read more 🡒]

Duke Just Added More Fuel To A North Carolina Basketball Debate

Duke enters the new college basketball season with the kind of roster and preseason buzz that usually keeps the conversation centered on Durham. Under Jon Scheyer, the Blue Devils are again viewed as a national contender, and CBS has gone so far as to label them the best team in North Carolina. For a program that has spent decades setting the standard, that kind of attention is less a surprise than a reminder of how high the bar remains.

The comparison matters because North Carolina basketball arguments never stay quiet for long, especially when Duke is ranked among the top five before the first meaningful games are played. The Blue Devils have history, talent and expectations all working in their favor, which only sharpens the debate with the other programs in the state. However the season unfolds, Duke has already added another layer to the annual question of who holds the edge in North Carolina. [Read more 🡒]

Nate Sheppard Just Gave Duke Fans A Real Reason To Believe

A lopsided win over Boston College gave Duke football more than another mark in the victory column. The Blue Devils rolled to a 47-2 finish, moved to 6-2 and clinched bowl eligibility, with the defense controlling the game from start to finish and keeping the Eagles out of the end zone.

Nate Sheppard was the centerpiece of it all, setting Duke records with five rushing touchdowns in one game and pushing his season total to 14 on the ground. Boston Colleges only points came on a botched hold on a PAT that was returned for a safety, a fittingly strange footnote to a night when Duke looked as complete as it has all season. [Read more 🡒]