Duke to Battle it Out With UNC and Others for No. 1 2027 Prospect

As Duke prepares for the 2027 class, trying to land some of the best players in the country, there's reason to believe that it could find itself in one of the best positions in all of college basketball once again. It might take a different approach over the next year or so and continue to try to land players only in the transfer portal, but that hasn't been the case yet. 

As Duke prepares to make the decisions it has to over the next few months, Beckham Black will be at the top of that list, the No. 1 player in the country according to most outlets. 

Black, a 6-foot-3 point guard from Southeastern Prep in Orlando, Florida, has a real opportunity to become a superstar in college basketball and, one day, in the NBA. 

As Duke looks to win the battle with other top programs in the country, the latest report from ESPN suggests Duke is among the potential visits the young man could take.

“Black is the best player in the senior class after dramatically improving over the course of a dominant year -- including averaging eight assists and just one turnover for the gold medal-winning Team USA at the FIBA U17 World Cup. He also upped his 3-point shooting from 28% last year to 36% this summer, despite increased defensive attention. Black plays with a dynamic swagger, and continuing that productivity will be essential as expectations grow for the No. 1 recruit in the country.

"Recruitment updates: Black is close to setting up visits to Texas, North Carolina, Arkansas, Duke, Miami, USC and Florida beginning in September,” Paul Biancardi wrote.

Out of these other programs, Duke has probably been better than all of them, maybe outside of Florida, over the past few years. The North Carolina one is interesting because if he came to the Tar Heels, it would be a punch in the gut. 

However, I don't think Beckham will end up at North Carolina; I'd predict he lands at Duke before the Tar Heels. Many don't view Duke as the favorite right now, so there are some interesting talking points there. Regardless, getting him on campus and showing him what Duke has to offer would be a good sign.