While on the surface it may sting a little bit, it's not even close to time to hit the panic button or be overly worried about the news that just dropped. Moments ago, news broke that 5-star center and North Carolina target Joaquim Boumtje Boumtje had committed to Duke.
National insider hypes up new UNC commit Sayon Keita in the best way possible
Again, on the surface, this feels like Jon Scheyer pulled a fast one on Michael Malone, but that's really not the case. The Blue Devils have been in on JBB much longer than the Tar Heels, with Malone and his staff getting in late on him. Also, don't forget even for a second that Carolina just received the commitment of Sayon Keita, who will be ready to play extended minutes (likely start) for UNC next season, while Boumtje Boumtje, 16, will need extra time to develop.
NEWS: Duke has landed a commitment from 7-foot center Joaquim Boumtje Boumtje of FC Barcelona, he announced. ⁰
— Joe Tipton (@JoeTipton) April 30, 2026
The versatile big man won’t turn 17 years old until late-May and will be joining the Blue Devils in the 2026 class. https://t.co/LKfwD0he7G pic.twitter.com/vpLtkJCFgy
5-star center Joaquim Boumtje Boumtje commits to Duke over UNC and others
Hey, we'll tip our hat to Jon Scheyer over this recruiting win, as Boumtje Boumtje has a ton of potential and he could end up being a playmaker in the ACC down the road. Are we going to lose sleep over it, though? Not a chance.
That's indeed because Keita being on board for next season is still something UNC fans should be sipping champagne (if you're over 21 that is) over. Right after he committed, Keita was given a 5-star ranking by 247Sports too, which speaks to his bright future.
CBS Sports' Director of Basketball Scouting Adam Finkelstein added that if Keita wasn't an international prospect, he'd be ranked the No. 1 center in the class at the high school level. Again, this just adds to the excitement over him making the move soon enough to Chapel Hill.
Adding both JBB and Keita felt like a bit of a long shot, but also, seeing him commit to Duke isn't a major surprise at all. If anything, it was something that plenty of us were getting mentally prepared for. So, yes, not getting his commitment stings a little but, especially since it's Duke and Scheyer who got the good news. But this isn't the kind of setback that should have people upset with Malone and his staff. Nope, not at all, especially with Keita ready to be a total stud in the ACC as soon as next season gets here.
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