5-star PG Deron Rippey stuns No. 1 Tyran Stokes, 'loved' Syracuse basketball official visit

Five-star Deron Rippey Jr., the nation's No. 1 point guard in the 2026 class, had a "great" official visit to Syracuse basketball two weekends ago, his dad tells me. This past weekend, he was in Las Vegas and went off against top-flight competition at a showcase, with the Orange staff on hand.

The 6-foot-2 Rippey, over the weekend, suited up alongside his teammates at the Blair Academy in Blairstown, N.J., in the 2025 Border League event in Las Vegas. Syracuse basketball assistant coach Allen Griffin was in attendance to watch Rippey and other Orange recruiting targets.

At the Border League, Blair went 2-0. On Friday night, Rippey helped engineer a 23-point comeback as the Bucs defeated RWE of the Atlanta-based professional league Overtime Elite, 60-58, whose roster includes 2027 four-star wing/small forward Clyde Walters, a Syracuse basketball target, and 2026 five-star point guard Taylen Kinney, a Kansas verbal commit who was matched up against Rippey.

On Saturday afternoon, with the game airing on NBA TV, Rippey hit the game-winner as Blair knocked off Notre Dame High School in Sherman Oaks, Calif., by a final of 62-61. Notre Dame is led by five-star small forward Tyran Stokes, the No. 1 national prospect in the 2026 cycle.

In his two triumphs at the Border League, Rippey averaged 16.5 points, 7.5 rebounds, 5 assists and 2 steals per contest while picking up numerous accolades from national analysts and scouts for his play.

Immediately before the Border League, Rippey played at a high level at the prestigious Wooten 150 Camp, which was also held in Las Vegas. From October 10 to October 12, Rippey will compete at a USA Basketball junior national team minicamp in Colorado Springs, Colo., where other 'Cuse recruits will be in attendance.

After that, Rippey will turn his attention to his senior season at Blair. In the 2025-26 campaign, Rippey will be a significant contender for All-American status.

Syracuse basketball is recruiting 2026 5-star PG Deron Rippey Jr. as hard as any other school.

During the weekend that began on September 26, Rippey and his family took an official visit to the Hill. "We loved it," his dad, all-around great guy Deron Rippey Sr., told me in a telephone conversation on Sunday as he and his son were at the airport traveling from Las Vegas to Kentucky for Deron Rippey Jr.'s official visit to the Wildcats that begins on Monday.

Rippey and his family were in attendance at the JMA Wireless Dome as the 'Cuse (unfortunately) lost to Duke. His dad said the official visit was a "great opportunity" to see what the Orange program would offer Rippey should he ultimately commit to Syracuse basketball.

The Orange staff, which has prioritized Rippey for a long, long time, wants him to come in and help lead the team, make plays for himself and his teammates, have an immediate impact, win a lot of games, play up-tempo, and "get Syracuse back to being Syracuse," his dad says.

During his official visit to Central New York, 'Cuse fans showed a lot of love to Rippey. He also got to meet 2026 five-star wide receiver Calvin Russell lll, who is verbally pledged to Syracuse football and is also planning to suit up for Syracuse basketball, I'm told.

After the Kentucky trip wraps up, Rippey will also take official visits to Duke, Tennessee and N.C. State. Once the visits are done, Rippey is likely to trim his list to around five schools, his dad says.

Currently, Rippey has a top nine of Syracuse basketball, Duke, Kentucky, Louisville, Miami, N.C. State, North Carolina, Tennessee and Texas. His dad says they haven't decided whether Rippey would sign during the early period in mid-November or in the regular period next April.

The Orange offered a scholarship to Rippey in late August of 2023. Syracuse basketball has visited him on many occasions in different settings ever since. He took an unofficial visit to the 'Cuse in late February of 2024, on Jim Boeheim Day. The full Syracuse basketball staff conducted an in-home visit with Rippey last month as the fall recruiting period got underway.

Rippey is either the No. 1 or the No. 2 point guard in the 2026 class, according to most recruiting services. Rivals has him at No. 8 nationwide in this cycle. With a strong senior year, Rippey could make a push into the top five overall. He's also an excellent student and an unselfish teammate. The Orange would be lucky to have Rippey on the team in the future, and I'll continue to check in with his dad about the latest in Rippey's recruitment.