Christ School (N.C.) small forward Trevor Manhertz visited the Blue Devils on Dec. 31, attending the squad’s home win over the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets. And his stay on campus included a photoshoot, in which he donned Duke basketball gear alongside his family, including former Duke associate director of athletics Joe Manhertz.
Plus, when he revealed this week that his decision date was set for Wednesday, the 6-foot-8, 185-pound Manhertz put the Blue Devils on his shortlist, along with the Louisville Cardinals and Indiana Hoosiers. That said, there was no confirmation from Manhertz or recruiting insiders that fourth-year Duke basketball head coach Jon Scheyer had ever officially entered the mix for his services via an offer.
So, it came as no surprise that the four-star prospect from Cary, N.C., did not name the Blue Devils as the winner of his recruitment on Wednesday. Instead, Manhertz unveiled his commitment to the Indiana Hoosiers.
He also announced his reclassification from the 2027 to 2026 recruiting cycle, a move he had been teasing in recent weeks. Manhertz, who was originally a 2026 athlete but had publicly reclassified to 2027 over the summer, now stacks up at No. 53 overall, No. 22 at his position, and No. 1 in North Carolina on the 247Sports 2026 Composite.
Duke Basketball Still Leading the Way on 2026 Recruiting Trail
Perhaps Trevor Manhertz’s talk of jumping back into the 2026 arena played a part in the lack of a reported offer from Scheyer & Co.
After all, the Blue Devils already boast a five-star early signee at Manhertz’s position in Heritage High School (Texas) small forward Bryson Howard, son of a one-time NBA All-Star small forward in former four-year Wake Forest Demon Deacons standout Josh Howard.
Moreover, Duke basketball has landed three other heralded 2026 talents: St. Mary’s Catholic High School (Ariz.) five-star power forward Cameron Williams, IMG Academy (Fla.) four-star center Maxime Meyer, and Blair Academy (N.J.) five-star point guard Deron Rippey Jr.
Ever since Rippey committed to the Blue Devils in late December, Scheyer and his crew have sat atop the 2026 rankings. If Duke ends up at No. 1 when the 2026 battles conclude in the spring, it would mark the blueblood program’s third straight top-ranked class and fourth across the five recruiting cycles that Scheyer has been at the helm in Durham.
