Duke Basketball: Another 2020 five-star picks up Blue Devil offer
By Matt Giles
An ever-rising 2020 recruit who likes to keep his offers secret reportedly now holds one from the Duke basketball program.
No recruiting experts seem to know when the Duke basketball coaches’ latest offer occurred. And the lack of details about the offer makes sense considering the recruit who reportedly received the offer has always refused to discuss his offers.
But according to an article on Monday from 247Sports’ Evan Daniels — arguably the most reliable source in the business — Mike Krzyzewski and his staff have extended an offer to Cade Cunningham.
The 6-foot-6, 215-pound five-star, who sees himself as a potential point guard but appears on recruiting sites as a small forward, also reportedly holds offers from Kansas, UNC, Memphis, Virginia, Texas, and several others.
However, the 2020 prospect, who attends the same Montverde Academy in Florida that produced R.J. Barrett, likely wasn’t the one who broke the news of any of those offers.
"“None of [the experts] know what schools have offered me or who I’m really looking at,” Cunningham recently told USA Today’s Jason Jordan. “Because I’ve never said…“I haven’t announced any schools that are even recruiting me…I think a lot of fan bases are gonna be shocked because most of them don’t know that their schools have offered me.”"
What Cunningham did make Jordan aware of, though, is his plan to announce next month a list of schools still in contention for his services — while staying mum about his suitors until then.
"“I’m probably gonna drop a list of seven or eight schools in June,” the 17-year-old said. “I just feel like constantly putting out who’s offered me is just a distraction. I don’t need to do that all the time; I just need to focus on getting better.”"
Getting better is Cunningham’s forte — at least in the eyes of those who rank recruits. Since 2017, he has climbed more than 30 spots on the 247Sports Composite to his current No. 7 ranking.
Part of the reason for his rise has to be his striking level of confidence with the ball in his hands, which brings to mind a former one-and-done Duke guard who is about his same size: Gary Trent Jr.
Like Trent Jr., Cunningham does not possess off-the-charts quickness; like Trent Jr., however, he never seems to take wasted steps. But Cunningham’s outside shot, which has steadily improved, still needs work to be as deadly as that of Trent Jr.
Whether or not Cunningham, who received a visit at his school from Krzyzewski at the beginning of May, will one day lace ’em up as a Blue Devil obviously remains a question.
As for when fans will find out, that also remains a question; as is the case with his offer list, Cunningham has not disclosed any information regarding when he plans to make his college choice.
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
Coach K and Co. also have offers on the table to five other 2020 recruits: small forward Jalen Johnson, who ranks No. 3 and intends to decide on a college sometime this summer; small forward Scottie Barnes, who ranks No. 4 and likely won’t make up his mind until next spring; shooting guard Brandon Boston Jr., who ranks No. 8 and also may not announce until next spring; center Walker Kessler, who ranks No. 16 and wants to announce before his senior season starts; and center Mark Williams, who ranks No. 46 and recently told Tipton Edits he will probably wait until winter to announce.
ALSO READ: Predicting future Blue Devils from 2020 class
Duke’s lone 2020 commitment came on May 8 from five-star point guard Jeremy Roach, who ranks No. 15.
Final tidbit: According to an article last week from The Kansas City Star’s Alex Schiffer, Roach and Boston are two 2020 recruits Cunningham could see himself playing alongside in college.
Stay tuned to Ball Durham for more Duke basketball recruiting updates, analyses, opinions, and predictions.