Duke Basketball: Blue Devils have eyes on 2019 PF Trendon Watford

The Duke basketball coaches apparently have a budding interest in a 2019 power forward who — like their longtime target at power forward, Matthew Hurt — has the potential to be a potent offensive force at the college level.

Backup plans are healthy. Same goes for stockpiling as much talent as possible — if for no other reason, to keep said talent off other teams’ rosters. Whatever the reason, a new 2019 prospect seems to be popping up on the Duke basketball radar.

According to a tweet on Wednesday night from Rivals’ Corey Evans, at least one member of the Duke coaching staff will be in Alabama on Thursday to attend a state tournament game that features power forward Trendon Watford (Rivals disagrees with 247Sports’ rating for Watford, tagging him with five stars rather than four).

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The Blue Devils have not yet extended an offer to the 6-foot-9, 230-pound Birmingham native. But if they do, the level of competition for his services is not as stiff as one might expect for a player who ranks No. 27 on the 247Sports Composite. The 247Sports Crystal Ball suggests that the programs to beat are Memphis, Alabama, and LSU.

Watford has received 16 total offers and taken three official visits — to the schools mentioned above.

Whether or not five-star power forward Matthew Hurt ends up somewhere other than Duke — the Minnesota native has long held an offer from the Blue Devils but won’t likely announce his decision until April — the addition of Watford could prove beneficial to the Blue Devils.

ALSO READ: Duke would best showcase five-star 2019 PF Matthew Hurt

Unlike Hurt, Watford’s primary scoring strength seems to be in the paint. Like Hurt, though, he has remarkable handles for his size and the ability to drop buckets from both inside and out. In terms of a comparison to a former Duke basketball player, watching highlights of Watford’s power moves to the basket brings to mind Justise Winslow.

The Duke coaches currently hold the nation’s No. 6 class for 2019, per 247Sports, with three commits: five-star center Vernon Carey Jr. (ranks No. 3), five-star small forward Wendell Moore (ranks No. 22), and four-star combo guard Boogie Ellis (ranks No. 34).

With a commitment from Hurt, the Blue Devils would likely finish with the nation’s No. 1 class for the fourth consecutive year (would be five out of the past six). An offer to and then a commitment from Watford wouldn’t have quite the same effect but would be a solid pickup, nonetheless.

After all, with four freshmen starters on the current squad likely headed to the NBA after this season, the Blue Devils need all the star pieces from the 2019 class that they can snatch.

Related Story. 2020 CG R.J. Hampton gives mixed signals. light

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