Duke Blue Devils coach Jon Scheyer and Kentucky Wildcats tactician Mark Pope are set to visit one of the best high school players in the country, Deron Rippey Jr. On Wednesday, Sept. 3, On3 writer Joe Tipton announced on his X/Twitter account that the coaches of the two premier college basketball programs will conduct in-home visits to the five-star prospect on the same morning.
This came after a previous report by Tipton, which indicated that Rippey Jr. has cut down the list of schools he is eyeing for his college basketball career to 12. Apart from the Wildcats and the Blue Devils, his list includes the Alabama Crimson Tide, the Creighton Bluejays, and the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets. Nevertheless, it seems as though Duke and Kentucky are the likely landing spots for the young guard.
Source: Duke’s Jon Scheyer and Kentucky’s Mark Pope will conduct in-home visits with 5⭐️ Deron Rippey Jr. today. https://t.co/D4KgWZ7KSM https://t.co/WKesYYSDNj pic.twitter.com/ygYHS1E6kT
— Joe Tipton (@TiptonEdits) September 3, 2025
Rippey Jr. is entering the 2025-26 season looking to cap off his stellar high school hoops career at Blair Academy. Among all of the five-star prospects in the recruiting class of 2026, Rippey Jr. is ranked No. 18 nationally, as per 247Sports. Before cutting down the list of his desired destinations to 12, the Blairstown, New Jersey, native reportedly received 40 different offers.
Also Read: Rutgers HC Steve Pikiell Visits 5-Star Deron Rippey Jr. in Person at Metro Classic
Deron Rippey Jr. Speaks On Being Recruited By Coach Mark Pope’s Kentucky Wildcats
In the same report by On3’s Joe Tipton, Deron Rippey Jr. discussed the programs he is being recruited by.
When it came to talking about coach Mark Pope’s Kentucky Wildcats, Rippey Jr. weighed in on the positivity he sensed from them. Rippey Jr. seems to have taken a liking to coach Pope.
“Things are good with Kentucky. I’m about to officially visit them as well. So them just expressing insane interest in me. They told me that they want me to get to campus as soon as possible, so it’s definitely a loving relationship. Coach Pope is definitely a very nice, kind person. He loves to chat. He loves to check in on me, so being around a guy like that is always great,” Rippey was quoted as saying.
Should Rippey Jr. commit to the Wildcats for the 2026-27 season, he will be joining a Kentucky squad that finished the 2024-25 campaign with an overall record of 24-12 (10-8 SEC) and made it all the way to the Sweet 16 of this year’s national tournament.
Read More: Kentucky Basketball Recruiting: Top 5 Early Targets for Mark Pope
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