SMU Basketball jumps into mix for Top 20 PG Deron Rippey, Jr.
SMU Basketball extended an offer to 2026 point guard and Top 20 prospect Deron Rippey, Jr. on Thursday. According to On3, he’s the No. 15 overall prospect, No. 4 point guard nationally and the top-ranked prospect in New Jersey.
This summer, he spoke about what he wants in a college program overall. He’s heard from schools such as UConn, Michigan, Arkansas, Syracuse, St. John’s, West Virginia, Illinois, Rutgers, Providence, Villanova, Purdue, and others. Rippey has already taken unofficial visits to UConn, Syracuse, Rutgers, and St. John’s.
“I want to play for a coach that is going to put his trust in me,” Rippey said. “Play for a program that is going to put their trust all the way in me, and not like take me in and out of games if I make just one mistake. I also want to go to a winning program, that is big for me. I also want to play for a coach that will help me put my name on NBA Draft boards.”
The 6-1, 175-pound guard self-scouted himself and sees himself as a player who likes to get to the paint.
“I’m a tough and athletic point guard who forces turnovers and touches the paint and makes the reads from there,” Rippey told On3 this summer. “I watch a lot of Keyonte George, I really like his game. I watch guys like Kyrie Irving with his ability to get to spots and touch the paint.”
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In June, On3 named Rippey a top performer from the USA Basketball U17 team training camp. He stood out to numerous evaluators on hand.
“One NBA scout watching Deron Rippey play this week made the statement, ‘This kid always makes the right play.’ The 6-foot-1 point guard is a quick-on-quick type of lead guard,” On3’s Jamie Shaw said in his writeup. “He touches the paint with the ball and he picks up for 94 feet. Rippey has shown an innate understanding of how to run a team. Getting his teammates involved while still picking his spots to get his own.
“He plays with a great pace, understanding how to change speeds, which makes his natural burst seem even quicker. He has also been able to limit turnovers while spending a lot of time in the teeth of the defense. Overall, he was able to stack impressive performances throughout the week.”
