4-star PG, who eyes Syracuse basketball visit, receiving blue-blood interest

Deron Rippey Jr., a 2026 four-star point guard who may take an unofficial visit to Syracuse basketball in the coming months, is garnering interest from a range of heavyweight college schools, including several blue-blood programs.

The 6-foot-2 Rippey, a sophomore at the Blair Academy in Blairstown, N.J., picked up a scholarship offer from the Orange coaching staff in late August.

Last month, as the fall recruiting period opened up, the top-25 national prospect from Brooklyn, N.Y., got a visit from Syracuse basketball assistant coach Allen Griffin during an open gym at Blair.

This spring and summer during the most recent AAU season, Rippey was a breakout performer for the 15U team of the New York City-based New Heights Lightning in Nike’s EYBL league.

More recently, earlier this month, national analysts and scouts praised Rippey for his play at a USA Basketball junior national team minicamp in Colorado Springs, Colo.

Syracuse basketball faces steep competition for 2026 four-star point guard Deron Rippey Jr.

Besides the Orange, Rippey’s offer sheet to date includes Old Dominion, Oklahoma State, St. John’s, Fordham, Hofstra, TCU, Long Island University, Binghamton, Mike Hopkins-led Washington, Texas A&M and George Washington.

Additionally, Live To 100 Graphics reported in a post on X a couple of days ago that Rippey is receiving interest from big-time college squads such as North Carolina, Kentucky, 2023 national champion UConn, Arkansas and Rutgers.

In a telephone interview this week, Rippey’s dad, Deron Rippey Sr., confirmed to me that his son does have interest from the Tar Heels, the Wildcats, the Huskies, the Razorbacks and the Scarlet Knights.

Deron Rippey Sr. says that his son is excited about his sophomore season at Blair, as well as the direction of his recruiting process, although Deron Rippey Jr. has a way to go before any kind of college decision is likely to be made.

While his list of offers and interest is already mighty impressive, college coaches can’t initiate direct communication with 2026 prospects until June 15 of next year. By extension, players in the sophomore cycle can’t take official visits until next summer as well.

Deron Rippey Sr. says his son is hard at work in the gym, getting bigger and stronger. Deron Rippey Jr. is focused on continuing to evolve as a leader at Blair, playing the point-guard position at a high level, facilitating for his teammates, and doing whatever he can to help his team win in the 2023-24 season.

Multiple recruiting services presently rank Rippey as a top-25 overall player, a top-five point guard and a top-five prospect in New Jersey within the 2026 class. He is a serious contender to ultimately attain five-star status in the sophomore cycle.

Deron Rippey Sr. says it’s likely that the Syracuse basketball coaching staff, led by Griffin, will come to watch his son at a Blair game in the upcoming term. Additionally, when Blair is on its winter break, Deron Rippey Jr. and his dad are hoping to take an unofficial visit to the SU campus and perhaps check out an Orange game, if feasible, per Deron Rippey Sr.

Once the contact period for the 2026 class opens up next June 15, and there is more clarity around Deron Rippey Jr.’s recruitment, he will look to set up some official visits. His dad has told me that Deron Rippey Jr. has a high interest in Syracuse basketball, and I’m optimistic that he will go on an official visit to the Hill further down the line.