Duke Basketball: Blue Devils’ 2020 class could include package deal
By Matt Giles
The Duke basketball coaches could potentially snag three 2020 five-stars via a package deal by fall.
Early commitments from high school juniors serve as natural stress reducers to fans who constantly agonize over the Duke basketball program’s future. To date, though, coach Mike Krzyzewski and his staff have yet to land a recruit from the 2020 class.
But if that class remains empty at the end of this school year, there’s no reason for fans to start panicking about the 2020-21 roster. It’s way too early for that; besides, there is a reasonable chance that a commitment from one five-star this summer could trigger a couple more.
Three 2020 prospects who hold offers from the Blue Devils have discussed the possibility of attending the same school. Jeremy Roach, who is considered by many to be the top true point guard in the class but has sat out his junior season due to an ACL tear, recently told Rivals’ Corey Evans that small forward Jalen Johnson and shooting guard B.J. Boston are among the handful of friends he has talked to in the past about possibly teaming up with in college.
Roach, a polished overall player with the speed to give opponents headaches on both ends of the floor, said to Evans that he doesn’t know when Johnson or Boston will make a decision, but he’s eyeing this summer to announce his college choice.
The 6-foot-2, 165-pound Roach, who attends Paul VI Catholic in Fairfax, Va., and ranks No. 15 on the 247Sports Composite, trimmed his list in the fall to four schools, all of which are college basketball heavyweights: Duke, Kentucky, UNC, and Villanova. Although the 247Sports Crystal Ball favors Villanova and Kentucky, Roach’s only official visit thus far was to Duke in October. And he told Evans that the Blue Devils “want for me to get down to a game soon.”
As for Johnson and Boston, the Crystal Ball heavily favors Duke for both. They took official visits to the Durham campus the same weekend in October and attended Countdown to Craziness.
Johnson, a 6-foot-8, 215-pound triple-double machine from Wisconsin who ranks No. 4 on the composite and in many ways resembles former Duke great Grant Hill, has only narrowed his list to 15 schools and does not intend to make a decision until the fall.
Boston, a 6-foot-6, 175-pound lethal scorer and driver from Atlanta who in many ways resembles former one-and-done Dukie Brandon Ingram, holds 28 offers and has not put out an official list or a timeline for a decision; however, he has said that five schools are recruiting him the hardest: Duke, Auburn, Alabama, Kentucky, and Florida.
ALSO READ: Duke coaches in hot pursuit of 2020 SG B.J. Boston
It’s possible, yet not likely, that the Blue Devils will miss on Roach, Johnson, and Boston. On the flipside, though, it’s possible — and fun for Duke fans to dream about — that all three will join #TheBrotherhood.
And a commitment from one could be all it takes to begin the delivery of a sweet package deal to Durham.
More from Ball Durham
- Duke basketball: The architect behind digital dominance
- Duke basketball prioritizing frontcourt prospects in 2025
- Duke basketball: Unmasking the hate for the Blue Devils
- Duke basketball: Countdown to Craziness lands another huge visitor
- Duke basketball fills final open scholarship
In addition to those three, Coach K and Co. have offers on the table to two other 2020 prospects.
But one of those prospects, five-star combo guard R.J. Hampton, who ranks No. 6 on the composite and included Duke on his final list of five last week, has left the door open to reclassifying to 2019.
ALSO READ: R.J. Hampton lists final five, may reclassify to 2019
The fifth 2020 prospect with an offer from Krzyzewski, five-star center Walker Kessler, ranks No. 17 on the composite and took an official visit to Duke the first weekend of February,
In summary, although the Blue Devils don’t yet have a 2020 commitment, the potential for a stellar class remains firmly intact.
Next. Duke needs nation's top 2019 class. dark
Stay tuned to Ball Durham for more Duke basketball recruiting updates, analysis, opinions, and predictions.