Duke’s 2027 recruiting class is starting to take shape, and Jon Scheyer’s staff has already added one of the more intriguing international names in the cycle.
The Blue Devils secured a commitment from 6'6" Australian point guard Luke Paul, giving Duke its second pledge in the 2027 class. Paul is set to play the 2026-27 season with the Cairns Taipans in the NBL’s Next Stars program before arriving in Durham for the 2027-28 season.
Paul has emerged as one of the top international prospects in his class and could be a lottery pick in the 2028 NBA Draft. His summer with Team Australia at the FIBA U17 World Cup only strengthened that case.
He averaged 15.3 points, 6.4 rebounds, 7.1 assists, 1.3 blocks, and 1.4 steals per game while shooting 48.4% from the field on 8.9 attempts per game and 55.6% from three on 2.6 attempts per game. He also earned a place on the event’s All-Star 5 team and helped Australia win bronze.
Paul now joins 5-star forward Kager Knueppel in Duke’s 2027 recruiting class, giving the Blue Devils a pair of high-end commitments already.
That addition also sets up a fascinating backcourt conversation down the line. Under the new age-based eligibility model, all four of Duke’s guards from the 2026-27 season can return for 2027-28. Paul’s arrival won’t force that discussion right away, but it does add another layer of intrigue if he comes in as the kind of one-and-done talent many believe he can be.
Meanwhile, Duke was also busy on the visit front. The Blue Devils hosted 2027 5-star prospect Asa Montgomery for an official visit this weekend, and he was in the building for Countdown to Craziness on Saturday night.
Montgomery is rated No. 8 overall and No. 3 among small forwards in the 247Sports 2027 Composite Rankings. The 6'7" forward was teammates with Blue Devil rookie Joaquim Boumtje Boumtje on Team USA at the FIBA U17 World Cup this summer, where he averaged 9.7 points, 4.4 rebounds, 2.1 assists, and 1.3 steals per game.
Montgomery has been one of the biggest risers in the class, and Duke is just one stop in a packed stretch of official visits. He has already visited LSU, Georgia Tech, Florida, UConn, and North Carolina, and he is scheduled to visit Arizona and Louisville after leaving Durham.
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 🡒]