Duke's Scheyer continues his collection of five-stars
Saying Duke’s Jon Scheyer is off to a fast start on the recruiting trail is stepping on the point. The second-year head coach has coached just one full season in Durham but has already racked up an eye-popping 10 five-star commitments – the latest being No. 1 prospect Cooper Flagg on Monday – since taking the reins of the program following the 2021-2022 season.
Today, Rivals looks back on all 10 five-stars that have committed to the 36-year-old Scheyer and has a look at how the careers of each are shaping up.
MORE FLAGG: Duke lands No. 1 prospect
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2024 Rankings: Rivals150 | Team | Position
2025 Rankings: Top 130
2026 Rankings: Top 65
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CLASS: 2022
RANK: No. 3
One of the more impressive recruiting victories of the Scheyer Era thus far, Lively was convinced to snub schools such as Kentucky, Michigan, North Carolina and Florida State to sign with a coach that was yet to sit in the big chair for a single game.
Things obviously went well for the five-star big man. as he played just one season in Durham before being selected with the 12th overall pick in the 2023 NBA Draft. Lively recorded a double-double in his professional debut last week.
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CLASS: 2022
RANK: No. 5
Expected to be the backbone of the 2023-24 Duke roster, Filipowski committed to Duke a couple months before the start of his senior season after a reclassification saw him move from the class of 2021 into the class of 2022.
His first season at Duke was a success by any stretch, as the 6-foot-11 big man was named ACC Rookie of the Year. Filipowski projects as a 2024 lottery pick should he bounce back nicely from offseason hip surgery.
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CLASS: 2022
RANK: No. 1
The No. 1 prospect in the 2023 class, Whitehead battled injury during his one season at Duke but still managed to land in the first round of the draft following a freshman season that saw him average 8.3 PPG and 2.4 RPG in just 26 appearances and six starts.
Scheyer was able to sell him on a pro future and land the top-ranked guard over fellow finalists Kansas, FSU and the NBA G-League.
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CLASS: 2022
RANK: No. 21
A left-handed slasher with incredible quickness, Mitchell was the fifth member of Scheyer’s first recruiting class. He started 35 games for Duke last season and averaged 9.1 PPG and 4.4 RPG. He’ll reprise his role as a Blue Devil starter this season and should take the next step when it comes to development.
He’s projected on the border of the first and second rounds of the 2024 NBA draft as things stand, but it’s easy to imagine a world in which he improves his stock by showing an improved ability to score from the perimeter.
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CLASS: 2023
RANK: No. 17
The Florida-based big man parlayed a massive junior summer into increased exposure and, ultimately, a commitment to Duke. Stewart chose Duke over offers from Michigan, Georgetown and Ohio State. He projects to be a bench piece for the Blue Devils this season and serve as a backup to fellow five-star Mark Mitchell.
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CLASS: 2023
RANK: No. 12
One of the most celebrated recruits of the Scheyer Era thus far, McCain was a social media star before he became a Blue Devil commit. The explosive and personable McCain has more than 2 million followers on TikTok, but it’s his shooting ability and floor vision that will determine where his career goes from here.
Scheyer landed the three-level scoring threat over offers from finalist Gonzaga, which made a strong late push. He’ll take the next step in his development if he begins to make wiser decisions with the ball in his hands and limit turnovers as a freshman in Durham.
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CLASS: 2023
RANK: No. 22
Power was a September addition for the Blue Devils last cycle, as Scheyer locked the five-star down. Originally a member of the 2023 class, Power reclassified to 2023 and played an extra year of high school hoops that allowed him to emerge as a truly national prospect.
The three-point shooting big man could fill a niche role for the Blue Devils this season, as he stretches the floor as well as any prospect in the country and brings a high level of defensive versatility due to his 6-foot-10 frame and ability to move well laterally;
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CLASS: 2024
RANK: No. 12
Extracting Knueppel from the state of Wisconsin was no easy task for Scheyer, as both Marquette and Wisconsin had made the five-star a high priority for years. A mid-September visit allowed Duke to jump into the lead, however, and the deal was done less than a month later. A strong, composed wing capable of handling the ball and knocking down shots from the outside, Knueppel’s versatility already has NBA scouts talking about his long-term upside as a pro.
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CLASS: 2024
RANK: No. 17
Evans committed to Duke in April of this year and brings with him tantalizing long-term upside. The 6-foot-6 wing came into his own this summer and made a massive jump in the Rivals150, going from No. 30 all the way up to No. 17.
Evans chose Duke over Texas, Georgetown, Alabama, Kansas and others. He’s a two-way prospect that could play himself into the NBA lottery if his consistency of effort begins to match his well-rounded skill set and flashes of true dominance.
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CLASS: 2024
RANK: No. 1
The crown jewel of the Scheyer Era thus far and the biggest feather in the second-year head coach’s proverbial hat, Flagg is a surefire one-and done prospect that is currently widely projected as the No. 1 pick in the 2025 draft. He’s arguably the best long-term prospect in all of amateur basketball and impacts games in almost every imaginable way, including the defensive end where he is a certified game-changer every time he takes the floor.
Flagg committed to Duke on Monday, but had looked like a lock to land in Durham for nearly a year prior to his public announcement.