One of over 40 full-fledged suitors in the Deron Rippey Jr. sweepstakes, the Duke basketball staff doesn’t look like a top contender for the Blair Academy (N.J.) five-star guard. After all, the Blue Devils are not among the now-eight programs that have locked in dates for an official visit from the 6-foot-2 rising senior.And Rippey, who now ranks No. 17 overall and No. 2 among point guards on the 247Sports 2026 Composite and is the namesake son of the mid-1990s ECU basketball player, is set to first check out the Kentucky Wildcats beginning on Aug. 1.Rippey will then begin his visit with the Miami Hurricanes on Aug. 27, UNC Tar Heels on Aug. 31, Alabama Crimson Tide on Sept. 12, Texas Longhorns on Sept. 19, Syracuse Orange on Sept. 26, Indiana Hoosiers on Oct. 17, and Tennessee Volunteers on Oct. 25, he recently confirmed to 247Sports national recruiting insider Dushawn London.
“Next week, I’ll be dropping a list of top schools that I’ll be considering,” Rippey told League Ready this week. “I’ll be cutting some schools out and keeping some schools. These schools that I’m cutting out, I won’t be visiting. And then, my list will just be the schools I’m visiting in the fall, from August all the way up to November
