Last year’s Countdown to Craziness provided a prime opportunity for a few early 2024 Duke basketball pledges to gather in Durham — a few weeks ahead of the early signing period at the time — and pitch in with securing a commitment from that weekend’s priority official visitor in now-freshman forward and projected one-and-done top overall draft pick Cooper Flagg.
But this year’s Friday night preseason celebration presented a markedly different recruiting theme in Cameron Indoor Stadium.
Jon Scheyer and his staff are hosting three full-fledged targets: Highland School (Va.) five-star forward Nate Ament, Bellaire High School (Texas) five-star forward Shelton Henderson, and Sidwell Friends School (D.C.) four-star guard Acaden Lewis. While the Blue Devils appear to remain in contention for each, the trio doesn’t contain any clear-cut Blue Devil locks.
Nate Ament, Shelton Henderson, and Acaden Lewis have arrived. pic.twitter.com/4wIn7dLENU
— Matt Giles (@MattGilesBD) October 5, 2024
Still, late in the Countdown to Craziness feature presentation, a 20-minute Blue-White Scrimmage that resulted in a 54-41 win by the players in home jerseys, it didn’t take long for Ament, Lewis, and Henderson to collectively answer the “Sit with us!” call from the Cameron Crazies student section on the other side of Coach K Court:
The recruits join the Crazies pic.twitter.com/4NJH2S2VfD
— Matt Giles (@MattGilesBD) October 5, 2024
Ament, sitting at No. 4 overall on the 247Sports 2025 Composite, is a 6-foot-9, 185-pound smooth wing who has been a Duke target ever since his first trip to Durham back in September 2023. He hasn’t revealed finalists, nor has he expressed any rush in deciding on a winner in his recruitment.
As for Henderson, currently No. 22 overall in the class, this weekend marks his first official visit with the Blue Devils. The 6-foot-6, 220-pound chiseled talent is down to a top six of Duke, Louisville, LSU, Houston, Texas, and Texas Tech.
Lewis, a 6-foot-2, 170-pound slick playmaker whose stock soared over the summer to the tune of a 24-spot jump to No. 36 overall among his peers, recently named a final four of Duke, UConn, Kentucky, and UNC. However, he’s since dropped the Tar Heels from contention.
The Countdown to Craziness visitors also included Cooper Flagg’s twin, Greensboro Day School (N.C.) three-star senior forward Ace Flagg, who sat beside their parents behind the Duke basketball bench. The 6-foot-7, 180-pounder was alongside his heralded brother at last year’s event, joining him when the Crazies requested their company. And one would think there’s still a chance he’ll receive an offer from Scheyer before the 2025 recruiting cycle ends.
On Friday night, though, Ace Flagg appeared fully content just offering brotherly support with his family. With that in mind and considering he hasn’t yet landed on the reported 2025 Duke basketball wishlist, it’s understandable that the Crazies didn’t chant his name.
Countdown bump‼️🏰 pic.twitter.com/E5YLuMUMkn
— Duke Men’s Basketball (@DukeMBB) October 5, 2024
Meanwhile, Duke basketball’s 2025 class remains empty. Perhaps the latest Countdown to Craziness experience will ultimately result in a couple of big-time recruiting wins for Scheyer & Co.
