Duke basketball reinforced its position as the nation’s top recruiting program on Saturday when Shelton Henderson announced his commitment to join the Blue Devils for the upcoming season. The 6-foot-6, 220-pound small forward from Bellaire, Texas, revealed his decision during a live stream on YouTube, choosing Duke over Texas and Louisville. Henderson cited the influence of head coach Jon Scheyer and associate head coach Jai Lucas in his choice, noting their connection as Lucas also hails from Bellaire, a Houston suburb.
“Coach Scheyer believed in me,” Henderson expressed. “I’m grateful for him and coach Jai Lucas. Having that local connection is important. They envision me making an immediate impact as a freshman, which is exactly what I aim to do.”
Henderson visited Duke officially on September 27 and returned the following weekend for the program’s Countdown to Craziness event at Cameron Indoor Stadium. Known for his playmaking ability, Henderson can score from both jump shots and drives to the basket. He is regarded as a five-star recruit and is ranked as the No. 15 player in the nation by 247sports.com. He becomes the fourth player in Duke’s 2025 recruiting class, with three of them boasting five-star ratings.
Cameron Boozer, a 6-foot-9, 225-pound power forward and the No. 2 player in the class, committed to Duke last month along with his twin brother, Cayden Boozer, a 6-foot-4 point guard ranked No. 21. Both are the sons of former Duke star Carlos Boozer and participated with Henderson in international play in Argentina last summer. “We have a solid connection,” Henderson stated. “Playing with the Boozers is effortless; they elevate everyone’s game. I’m eager to collaborate with them.”
Additionally, Duke received a commitment from 6-foot-8 power forward Nikolas Khamenia, a four-star recruit from Harvard Westlake High School in Los Angeles, who is rated No. 19 in the class. Even prior to Henderson’s commitment, Duke was ranked first by 247sports.com, followed by UConn, Notre Dame, LSU, and Iowa State in the top five.
As the Blue Devils prepare to kick off their season against Maine on Monday night, they anticipate losing three freshmen—Cooper Flagg, Kon Knueppel, and Khaman Maulach—who are projected first-round picks in next summer’s NBA Draft. Furthermore, transfers Sion James and Mason Gillis will be completing their final college eligibility seasons. Guards Tyrese Proctor and Caleb Foster may also explore NBA opportunities if they have standout seasons.
Duke is still in the running for another five-star recruit, 6-foot-9 power forward Nate Ament, the No. 4 player in the class from northern Virginia. Coach Scheyer visited Ament on Monday night. Ament has made two unofficial visits to Duke, alongside official visits to Texas and Louisville, with a trip to Notre Dame scheduled for November 9.
