The Duke Blue Devils have always been the college basketball team everybody loves to hate. Notably, plenty of that has to do with their ability to land the best prospects.

That might be the case again next season. According to a report by Travis Branham of 247Sports, FC Barcelona prospect Sayon Keita will make an unofficial trip to Durham to visit the facilities.

Keita is the top-ranked international recruit for the class of 2027, but he’s reportedly considering making a jump to the 2026 recruiting cycle. He’s a 7-footer from Mali with immense defensive potential.

Sayon Keita will visit Duke

“Keita is an elite defender that possesses great size, incredible length and is a very fluid mover on the court,” Branham wrote. “He covers immense ground on the defensive end of the court, providing a premier anchor to his team’s defensive efforts.”

Head Coach Jon Scheyer of the Duke Blue Devils instructs his team against the Illinois Fighting Illini during the first half of the SentinelOne Classic at Madison Square Garden on February 22, 2025 in New York City.

Head Coach Jon Scheyer of the Duke Blue Devils

Of course, they will face some steep competition to acquire his services, and he should be in no rush to make a decision, as he will have the entire season to choose his next program.

But given Duke’s long history of success at recruiting the best prospects on Earth, it wouldn’t be much of a surprise to see them get their hands on this highly coveted young man.

ernesto cova