Duke Losing Steam for Nation’s No. 2 Prospect, 5-Star Guard

Duke is losing steam for the nation’s No. 2 prospect in the 2026 class, according to national analysts. For a while, the Blue Devils appeared to have the most buzz for All-American Brandon McCoy , a 2026 five-star combo guard. But for one reason or another, analysts say, Duke is no longer a big front-runner in McCoy’s recruitment.

Duke Losing Steam for Nation’s No. 2 Prospect, 5-Star Guard

Per national reporter Joe Tipton of On3/Rivals, McCoy’s recruiting process is more open these days than had been previously thought. Tipton notes that in the 2026 cycle, the Blue Devils are prioritizing another five-star guard, Jordan Smith Jr. from the Washington, D.C., area.

While Tipton doesn’t believe that Duke is altogether out of it for McCoy, there are other suitors to monitor. Those schools include Alabama, Arkansas , Kansas , Michigan , N.C. State and Southern California. Tipton says McCoy, who plays high school ball in California, will likely visit Alabama, Arkansas, Kansas and USC, among others.

Both Tipton and 247Sports national analyst Travis Branham don’t believe there’s a favorite for McCoy at this juncture. Branham also says that Duke, for one, is exploring other options as it pertains to 2026 targets at the guard positions. In terms of schools to monitor for McCoy, Branham echoed many of the same suitors as Tipton, while he also added in Miami as a player in McCoy’s recruitment.

McCoy has officially visited Duke. So, too, has Smith, who has the Blue Devils in his final six. Currently, Duke has buzz for Smith, and John Watson of 247Sports also recently reported that the Blue Devils staff seems more focused on Smith than McCoy.

Brandon McCoy’s Latest Rankings and New Home

According to the primary recruiting services, the 6-foot-5, 185-pound McCoy is a consensus five-star, top-seven national prospect in the 2026 class. The industry-generated Rivals Industry Ranking places him at No. 2 nationally, No. 1 at combo guard and No. 2 in California. The industry-generated 247Sports Composite has McCoy at No. 4 nationally, No. 2 at combo guard and No. 3 in California.

On Thursday, Krysten Peek of Hoops HQ reported that McCoy is transferring California-based schools. McCoy, as a senior during the 2025-26 season, will suit up for the Sierra Canyon School in Chatsworth, Calif., which is a suburban neighborhood in Los Angeles. As a junior, McCoy averaged 16.5 points, 5.9 rebounds, 3.8 steals and 3.6 assists per contest for St. John Bosco High School in Bellflower, Calif.

McCoy, though, did miss a dozen games due to an injury in 2024-25. For its junior All-America teams last season, MaxPreps gave McCoy an honorable mention nod.

A Gold Medal Summer

In early July, McCoy helped lead USA Basketball to the gold medal at the 2025 FIBA U19 World Cup in Lausanne, Switzerland. During this annual event, the USA went 7-0. McCoy averaged 9.6 minutes, 5.7 points, 2.0 assists, 1.8 rebounds and 1.0 steals per encounter. He shot 65.2 percent from the field but just 50.0 percent from the free-throw line.

This spring and summer amid the latest AAU season, McCoy played solid for the 17U team of the Phoenix-based Arizona Unity on Nike’s EYBL circuit. He averaged 19.7 points, 7.0 rebounds, 1.6 assists, 1.6 steals and 1.2 blocks per game. The scouting experts at The Circuit named McCoy to their All-EYBL second team.

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