Of the more than a dozen 2025 prospects who have landed Duke basketball recruiting offers, four are top-shelf power forwards. However, as dominoes begin to fall in the cycle — no pledges for the Blue Devils just yet — there’s not a single full-fledged center on Jon Scheyer’s wishlist.
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Perhaps under-the-radar big man Cade Bennerman will become the first.
On Wednesday, the 6-foot-11, 195-pound three-star posted the following picture posing with second-year Duke basketball assistant coach Emanuel Dildy during the Blue Devil recruiter’s visit to his Father Ryan High School in Nashville:
Bennerman, who ranks No. 195 overall and No. 34 among centers on the 247Sports 2025 Composite, boasts a 7-foot-5 wingspan and budding skillset. Although he’s reported only a handful of offers, the likes of NC State, Michigan, West Virginia, South Florida, and Northwestern are now expressing considerable interest, per MADE Hoops’ Travis Graf, and three official visits are on his September slate.
Back in July, On3’s Jamie Shaw summarized Cade Bennerman’s obvious upside:
“While there is still a long way until he hits his ceiling, there are not many 6-foot-11 people in the world who move as fluidly as Bennerman. He played effectively within himself, finishing plays around the basket and blocking shots around the rim. There is a clear pathway with his continued improvement.”
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Stay tuned to Duke Blue Devils On SI for more Duke basketball recruiting news.