Duke basketball: Predicting landing spot for No. 1 recruit
By Matt Giles
Where will the top-ranked Duke basketball target end up after high school?
The Patrick School (N.J.) small forward Jonathan Kuminga released his final five last week, including the Duke basketball program, but did not specify when he’ll whittle his favorites down to one. Others still in contention for the 6-foot-9, 225-pound five-star are Auburn, Kentucky, Texas Tech, and the NBA’s G League.
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Before pondering where Kuminga is most likely to land, we ought to take a quick look at when he’s most likely to arrive there. Though technically the No. 1 prospect on the 247Sports 2021 Composite, he’d surely at least challenge for the same spot among 2020 recruits should he decide to reclassify, which he tagged a “50/50” possibility during his recent chat on the High School Basketball Happenings podcast.
Kuminga’s innate explosiveness and competitiveness complement his powerful moves, adequate handles, and improved jumper. His bullish presence on the court is impossible to miss. All in all, despite still being five months from turning 18, the Congo native already looks NBA-ready:
That said, each of the schools on Kuminga’s list has something unique to offer. But does each remain in active pursuit? And what about the minor-league alternative? OK, let’s weigh it all and then predict the destination for the potential perennial All-Star. After dissecting the G League option, we’ll tackle Kentucky, Auburn, Texas Tech, and Duke before ultimately forecasting 1) the winner, 2) the time of his announcement, and 3) whether he’ll be part of the 2020 or 2021 class…