That’s the third no.1 recruiting class for Jon Scheyers. The Blue Devils’ head coach has taken on the reins to keep the tradition alive since Mike Krzyzewski handed over the baton. Well, the legendary coach himself left a top class for Scheyers to begin with in 2022. Now, with a second in a row, he isn’t backing down just yet. The HC already has four of the nation’s top-25 recruits down and ready to go. But there’s Nate Ament’s commitment lurking, and Duke misses it? The Blue Devils, former and soon-to-be, aren’t letting that happen!

Nate Ament is currently ranked no.4 overall, no.2 among the power forwards, and No.1 in Virginia on the 247Sports 2025 Composite. To add to the excitement, the 18-year-old includes Duke in his list of top 5. “I’ve got a group of schools that I really want to focus in on and put my attention towards for the remaining of the recruiting season,” he says, speaking of the programs he has narrowed down on– Arkansas, Duke, Kentucky, Tennesse, and Louisville.

If that means a nudge and show of interest could have Ament focusing on Duke, former Blue Devil and 11-season NBA veteran, Austin Rivers is hopping on the opportunity.

On his podcast Off Guard, Austin invited Ament as a guest to discuss his future. While approving the list Ament had put forward, Rivers proceeds to build the case for Duke, “Then there is good old Duke. Just way out in front. We are so way out in front that it’s not even funny anymore. We are the standard, we are the best show in college basketball. That’s why the baddest players in the country go there. You either run with it or run from it,” he says.

For a program that has produced the likes of Zion William, Paolo Banchero, Cooper Flagg, and Rivers himself, that’s not a far-fetched pitch. Those are three one-and-dones with Flagg highly touted for the same. The freshman has led the team to the brink of a championship too, leading ACC and the nation in power rankings at 27-3. Now, if that wasn’t already an enticing enough scenario to step into, Rivers still had guns to pull, thanks to a little broadcasting advantage.

“You know, Nate, are you gonna be one of them? That’s on you. I can tell you, we want you, that’s already clear. Jon already told me to press you. Listen, come to the show, they got more Duke games on ESPN than the Lakers.” But of course, Rivers isn’t the only one at work here.

Duke is slated to be a force to be reckoned with next season, regardless of whether the current batch of players stay or not. Their 2025 class is led by the number 2 overall prospect Cameron Boozer, followed by number 15 Shelton Henderson, number 19 Nikolas Khamenia, and number 21 Cayden Boozer. There is no shortage of quality in that roster and there is no better place to play than Duke.

The new recruits are making sure Ament is aware of it. “Yk this is the move twin,” Cayden commented after the 18-year-old’s visit to Duke. But he has got competition. The Louisville Cardinal loyals are putting in every effort to lure in Ament on their side. They are leading the race on FanStake with $83,746 in a bid to bring him to the team.

The Highland School (Va.) five-star forward is expected to announce his college decision on April 1 at the McDonald’s All-American game at Barclays Center in Brooklyn. But before that, he still has one more official visit! Razorbacks fans, you’re going to want to pay attention to this!

Nate Ament to visit John Calipari and Arkansas

Over the years, Kentucky fans had been used to seeing their coach come out of most of the high school recruiting battles he entered as the winner. Things have changed. John Calipari is no longer with the Wildcats and he will be entering a battle against Kentucky to secure Nate Ament.

Yes, Nate Ament will be taking his final official recruiting visit to Calipari and the Razorbacks. Arkansas closes its regular season Saturday with a home game against No. 25 Mississippi State, and Nate will be present in the Bud Walton Arena.

Arkansas had been the only school from his desired five-program list that Ament was yet to officially visit. That will no longer be the case. Decision time on April 1! Which team wins the race for Ament will certainly be a story to keep an eye on. But one thing is certain, whoever lands him–be it Duke, Louisville, Kentucky, Tennessee, or Arkansas–Ament will elevate the program to new levels.