Duke beats out UNC, others for top-10 recruit Montgomery

Asa Montgomery has chosen Duke, ending a recruitment that also drew serious attention from North Carolina, UConn, LSU and Georgia Tech. The announcement gives Jon Scheyer's program another top-10 prospect and extends Duke's run to seven consecutive recruiting classes with a player ranked in the top 10.

Montgomery, a 6-foot-7 forward, is ranked No. 7 overall in the SC Next 100 and No. 3 among small forwards in his class. ESPN reported that his early-October visit helped settle the decision, with Duke identifying him as a priority target and impressing him with Scheyer's detailed approach to his game and the way the program is run.

He has described Duke as a long-held favorite, saying the school had been his dream destination since he was eight years old. That sense of fit, along with trust in Scheyer, appears to have mattered as much as the program's winning record in his final choice.

On the court, Montgomery is known for high energy and a broad offensive skill set. He can shoot, screen for teammates, drive to the basket and cut without the ball, giving Duke a versatile option on the wing.

He becomes Duke's third commitment in the 2027 class, joining Kager Knueppel, regarded as one of the country's elite shooters, and highly touted Australian prospect Luke Paul. For Duke, the addition keeps its recruiting momentum intact. For Montgomery, it sets up a college career at a program that made him a central target early in the process.