This time last year, after Lincoln Park (Pa.) guard Maryke Thomas was named to Duke basketball's 2025 wish list, the 6-foot-4, 175-pound five-star prospect said in an interview: He said he grew up a Blue Devils fan. He put the program in the top 12 last summer. And several times he expressed his desire to visit Durham.
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But in a conversation between Thomas and Rivals' Rob Cassidy on Saturday, the 17-year-old backcourt phenom, who at one point was considered a candidate for reclassification until 2024, revealed that he is considering removing himself from his list of potential schools. He said he did not include Duke University. A tour is planned in the coming months.
Cassidy said Thomas “would like to take more official visits,” and has already visited Pitt, Auburn, Kentucky and Penn State, among others. “I take officials to college cons, Arkansas and Indiana.”
It's probably too early to rule out the Blue Devils completely, given that Maryke Thomas, the No. 6 overall pick in the 247Sports 2025 Composite Rankings, doesn't appear to be in a hurry to add to the roster.
Of the eight Duke basketball targets in this class, not one has done anything or publicly removed John Scheyer and his staff from contention.
The remaining seven are all five-star prospects: guard Cayden Boozer from Columbus High School (Fla.), guard Brayden Burries from Eleanor Roosevelt High School (California), and guard Brayden Burries from La Lumiere High School (Fla.). guard Jalen Haralson of Highland School (Virginia); ) wing Nate Ament, Columbus forward Cameron Boozer, Perry High School (Arizona) forward Core Pete, and Holy Innocents Episcopal School (Ga.) forward Caleb Wilson.
Related: 5-star Duke prospect Brayden Burries answers reclassification questions
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