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Jeff Borzello
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Jeff Borzello
Basketball recruiting insider
- Jeff Borzello is a basketball recruiting insider. He has joined ESPN in 2014.
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Paul Biancardi
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Paul Biancardi
Basketball Recruiting
- National Recruiting Director for ESPN.com
- 18 years of coaching experience at Division I level
- Former Horizon League coach of the year at Wright State
Top-20 senior Bryson Howard announced his commitment to Duke on Tuesday, giving Jon Scheyer and the Blue Devils their first commitment in the 2026 class.
Howard, the son of former NBA veteran Josh Howard, had a blueblood recruitment, picking Duke over fellow finalists North Carolina and Kentucky. He took his official visit to Durham last month, and the Blue Devils maintained their positive momentum from that trip over the last couple of weeks.
“I loved my visit to Duke,” Howard told ESPN. “I spent a lot of time with the coaches and players. We went to Coach Scheyer’s house for dinner, and it felt like home.”
A 6-foot-5 left-handed wing, Howard was one of the biggest risers in the country during the spring and summer while playing for Pro Skills on the Nike EYBL circuit. He averaged 19.7 points and 6.0 rebounds in 21 games, while shooting 46.2% from 3-point range on more than five attempts per game.
Howard went from unranked to No. 28 after the spring, and is now No. 20 in the senior class. His shot-making and upward trajectory should suit Duke.
“When I attended practice, I saw that their style of play fits my game,” he said. “The practice was very positive and full of energy, with a pace that was up and down. Coach Scheyer believes I will thrive in his system.”
Howard excels as an outside shooter with pinpoint accuracy. He has excellent mechanics on his shot, complete with body control, a fluid motion and high release point. He is equally adept at scoring in catch-and-shoot situations, on the move and off the dribble. When finishing, Howard shows versatility as a reliable lob catcher and fearless driver who absorbs contact and converts at the rim.
Duke has landed the No. 1 recruiting class in each of the last two cycles, with Scheyer eschewing portal-heavy reloads in favor of leaning on talented freshman classes.
After Howard, Duke remains in pursuit of Jordan Smith (No. 2), Cameron Williams (No. 3), Austin Goosby (No. 19) and Maximo Adams (No. 26). Five-star point guard Deron Rippey Jr.. (No. 18) is visiting the Blue Devils’ campus this week, and they hosted Canadian big man Maxime Meyer this past weekend.
They also welcomed elite 2027 prospect Sayon Keita for a visit in the summer, and the FC Barcelona center is a candidate to reclassify to 2026.
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