5-star recruit Rippey commits to Duke
Five-star recruit Deron Rippey Jr. committed to Duke, he told ESPN's Jeff Borzello and Paul Biancardi on Tuesday.
The New Jersey native chose the Blue Devils over NC State, Miami, Tennessee, and Texas.
Rippey is the third-ranked point guard and No. 16 overall recruit on the ESPN 100 for 2026.
"I felt like they fit my play style," Rippey told Borzello and Biancardi. "They want to be on the attack on both offense and defense, and that is what I do best. My aggressive play style is different. My dream is to win a national championship.
"(Head) coach Jon Scheyer recruits high-level talent and teaches those players how to play for each other. That's the only way to win. Their plan for me is to come in to lead and make an impact on winning. I am all about both."
He joins a loaded recruiting class that features No. 2 overall prospect Cameron Williams and fellow five-star recruit Bryson Howard.
Rippey, a 6-foot-1 floor general, is known for his ability to get into the paint and his on-ball defensive pressure. He's averaging 13.2 points and 2.7 assists this season.
He was named Gatorade Player of the Year for New Jersey last season after leading Blair Academy to a state title.