Major moves for Duke Basketball's 2023 recruiting class in final rankings – 247Sports

Duke’s class is a little smaller than it was at the first Signing Day of the 2023 recruiting cycle, as Mackenzie Mgbako and the program parted ways last month and Jon Scheyer’s five-man class shrunk to four. But there’s no shortage of talent coming in to the university this Fall (they’ll be on campus in around six weeks to start their college careers). In today’s Top247 rankings release, there was movement up and down across the class, although all four players finished inside the Top 25 and will end their high school careers as Five-Star players.
Jon Scheyer spoke on the class after they all signed their letters of intent.
“We’re so excited about this 2023 class,” said Scheyer. “We feel there’s incredible versatility in this class, but more importantly they are guys with great character. Each are hard workers that bring special attributes not just on the court, but who they are as people. They’re about winning, and with their size, skill, and athleticism, we’re excited about the possibilities of what we can do with them. Our staff has done a terrific job and I’m thankful to each of them, and the five guys we have signed, for believing in the vision of our program.”
Jared McCain (No. 13 overall, No.3 combo guard): Well known as one of the most explosive scoring guards in the class, McCain saw his stock jump from No. 26 all the way up to No. 12 according to the latest update from 247. A smaller guard at 6-foot-2, McCain protects to player a similar role at Duke as did Seth Curry in the early 2010s. Much like the former Blue Devil, McCain has a compact jumper that is repeatable and which allows him to make defenses pay when he’s spotting up or coming off screens.
Despite being a smaller guard, the California prospect has the ability to be an effective defender down the road as his game demonstrates the ability to read the situation and end up in the correct spots positionally. Early on at Duke he’ll push for minutes as a much needed floor spacer while also providing support as a ball handler on the perimeter.
“Jared’s a winner,” said Scheyer. “He’s won everywhere he’s been, whether it’s at Corona Centennial, in the EYBL and with USA Basketball. He’s a great guard and one of the best shooters in the country. He’s underrated as a passer and a playmaker, but we love his versatility.”
TJ Power (No. 15 overall, No.4 power forward): Power was the final piece of the puzzle for Scheyer in the class of 2023, and brings more versatility and shotmaking to the big wing position. In this latest refresh the 6-foot-8 future Blue Devil jumped all the way up to No. 15 from 28th.
Power shoots it very well and demonstrates a well-rounded bag of skills that include ball handling, rebounding, and passing. He’s a good all-around athlete who was a high level prospect as a left-handed pitcher on the baseball field (though he plays basketball right handed). As a fifth year high school senior he’ll come into Durham more physically prepared to contribute during his first season and will provide Coach Scheyer yet another prospect whose game begins with versatility and is propped up by the ability to shoot the basketball.
“TJ is one of the premier shooters in the country and he showed that on the EYBL circuit,” said Scheyer. “The thing that we loved though, is that he’s a heck of a competitor and plays with a spirit and motor that’s infectious. He’s also a great passer that makes his teammates better.”

Sean Stewart (No. 20 overall, No.3 center): As his high school career developed, along with his body, Stewart has been re-evaluated as a center in the latest rankings release. In these latest rankings the future Blue Devil fell eight spots, but still remains a high five star player who will be in the line as a post defender and interior finisher as a freshman thanks to his ability to elevate through and around traffic to finish above the rim. On defense he’s a very mobile frontcourt player who played well for USA Basketball, demonstrating an ability to slide his feet and defend guards on the perimeter, even in open space.
“He’s as good of an athlete as there is in the country,” said Scheyer. “He plays hard, can protect the rim, and plays above the basket on offense. The thing we love is that he keeps getting better and better. He’s made an incredible progression since the first time we saw him, and we know that will continue.”
Caleb Foster (No. 21 overall, No.4 combo guard): Foster’s ranking has bounced around as much as any player in recent memory. At one time he was ranked as one of the five or six best players in the country, but a dedication to playing as a more versatile guard who can be on or off the ball saw his ranking dropping the future Blue Devil guard to 21st overall in the class from 19th.
At 6-foot-5, Foster is able to play either point guard or shooting guard and knows how to utilize and exploit his size and length advantage against small opponents. Offensively his jumper has some rough edges mechanically, but he’s still evolved into a tough shot-maker with threes, pull-ups, little step-backs, and soft runners all in his bag. When asked to function as a primary ball hander, Foster has shown himself to be a willing and capable passer who controls and maintains the tempo for his team.
“[Foster is] a true point guard that really knows how to play, Caleb is a dual threat that can score in the paint, shoot and create for others. He’s got a toughness to his game,” said Scheyer. “He can defend the ball and is well coached and battle-tested playing at Oak Hill for several years and now at Notre Dame High School.”

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