Jon Scheyer and the Duke Blue Devils quietly expanded their recruiting board this week.
Shortly after Cooper Flagg declared for the 2025 NBA Draft, Duke reportedly made a visit to see four-star forward.
The 6-foot-8 small forward from Huntington Prep reopened his recruitment in March after backing out of his commitment to West Virginia.
He is ranked No. 106 nationally in the 247Sports Composite and holds the top spot among 2025 prospects in his state.
After reopening his recruitment, he recently took visits to Virginia Tech and Kentucky.
According to Travis Branham of 247Sports, Jon Scheyer and the Duke staff have now also made a trip to meet with him.
Hawthorne, a long-armed wing with a 7-foot-2 wingspan, combines perimeter shooting, rebounding, and chase-down defense.
Duke’s interest, which was confirmed by Hawthorne’s father on X, comes at a crucial time.
Along with losing Flagg, the Blue Devils also saw former 2025 ACC Tournament MVP Kon Knueppel and Third-team All-ACC guard Tyrese Proctor declare for the draft, leaving several open spots on the wing.
Duke’s incoming freshman class features standout talents like Cameron Boozer, Cayden Boozer, and Nikolas Khamenia, but Scheyer has indicated that he’s not finished building the 2025-26 roster.
Duke Basketball Roster May Receive Boost via Reclass Candidate
With all of its 2024-25 scholarship players returning, except for those who exhausted their eligibility or entered the draft early, Duke basketball has already established a strong eight-man rotation for Jon Scheyer’s fourth season as head coach.
However, that doesn’t mean the coaching staff in Durham is only seeking second-tier additions to round out the roster. Duke is still targeting top-tier talent, including one recent recipient of a Blue Devil offer.
In January, Brewster Academy (N.H.) power forward Sebastian Wilkins, who switched from the 2025 to 2026 recruiting class two years ago, mentioned the possibility of reclassifying back to 2025. This means he could potentially be a freshman in college next season.
Given the recent offer from Duke and increasing speculation that the Blue Devils are the frontrunner, it wouldn’t be surprising if the 6-foot-8, 215-pound four-star eventually commits to Scheyer’s 2025-26 roster.
Wilkins is ranked No. 28 overall in the 247Sports 2026 Composite, just a few spots shy of five-star status.
He has received a dozen offers, including one from the Maryland Terrapins, who hosted him last weekend.
Meanwhile, three players already committed to the 2025-26 Blue Devils roster—five-stars Cayden Boozer, Cameron Boozer, and Nikolas Khamenia—come from the 2025 recruiting class.