Duke Basketball: What Blue Devils must do to land 2019 PF Matthew Hurt

A five-star forward with a game that sparks memories of past Duke basketball greats will be in Durham for his official visit this weekend, but how can the Blue Devils persuade him to ink his name on the 2019-20 roster?

A slice of heaven pie. Any Duke basketball fan who has ever visited the home of the Blue Devils has savored a bite.

This weekend, Matthew Hurt, a potential fan and member of the program, will sample the divine dessert that is the 9,314-seat Cameron Indoor Stadium. However, the treat that he receives on Saturday night may include a funky aftertaste; on the flip side, though, the filling could be even sweeter and more appetizing than usual.

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The delectability depends on the outcome of the evening’s main event.

Hurt, a five-star 2019 power forward who ranks No. 7 on the 247Sports Composite, will be in attendance behind the home team’s bench when No. 1 Duke hosts No. 4 Virginia at 6 p.m. Saturday (on ESPN). Prior to tipoff, the 6-foot-9, 215-pound Minnesota native is sure to notice that the campus is the center of the college basketball universe (marking the ninth time in history, College Gameday will broadcast live — starting at 11 a.m. — from heaven on earth).

The smooth playmaker resembles a mashup of former stars for the Blue Devils: Danny Ferry, due to his sharp passes and his feathery touch from inside and out; Mike Dunleavy, due to his slithery moves on the perimeter and his slender frame; and Ryan Kelly, due to his jump shot’s high release and his feel for the game. In other words, Hurt could find time at up to three positions for Duke next season — he is a strong candidate to be another one-and-done college player.

Hurt has already taken official visits to two other blue-blood programs: Kentucky and UNC. And he will be at Kansas the first weekend of February.

ALSO READ: Kansas may know a trick to slow Coach K’s recruiting

At the moment, the experts at the 247Sports Crystal Ball are not favoring Duke. So what must the Blue Devils do on Saturday night to persuade him to call Durham his college home?

Three-letter answer. “W” is the first letter.

Considering the 16-0 Cavaliers, who will probably enter the game as the betting favorite, appear to be the most fundamentally sound team in the country, and the 14-2 Blue Devils will likely be without Tre Jones in the lineup — the freshman point guard is out indefinitely with an AC joint separation in his right shoulder — an oh-so-sweet victory won’t be a simple task.

But if Duke pulls it off in Cameron, the memory of the electric atmosphere could be enough to sway Hurt into choosing to take more bites out of the heavenly pie in the future — as a player rather than just a spectator.

Hurt is not likely to make up his mind until the spring.

The Duke coaches have already won the battle for three 2019 recruits: five-star center Vernon Carey Jr. (ranked No. 2 on the composite), five-star small forward Wendell Moore (ranked No. 24), and four-star combo guard Boogie Ellis (ranked No. 36). The class currently ranks No. 6 nationally, according to 247Sports.

And in addition to Hurt, the Blue Devils are still waiting on the decision of five-star center Isaiah Stewart, who is likely to soon announce — although that has been the expectation for months now.

ALSO READ: One step remains for five-star 2019 C Isaiah Stewart

If the Duke coaches land either Hurt or Stewart — preferably both — they will likely end up with the nation’s top recruiting class for the fourth consecutive year (would mark five of the past six).

Stay tuned to Ball Durham for more Duke basketball recruiting updates, analysis, opinions, and predictions.