Duke basketball: Blue Devils notice criminally underrated 2020 SG

One 2020 shooting guard who apparently doesn’t check enough boxes to rank higher does offer some of the goods the Duke basketball coaches need.

As a graduating high schooler in 2008, former Duke basketball sharpshooter Seth Curry did not even register on the 247Sports Composite. His 2,101 points as a collegian and budding NBA career now make one wonder just how much fecal matter comprises those composite rankings year after year.

Well, three-star 2020 shooting guard D.J. Gordon — sitting at No. 125 with a game at least somewhat resembling Curry’s — has the potential to be the next in a long line of prospects to have called the whole ranking system into question.

He’s no cheetah or kangaroo (but he’s not exactly slow, nor does he have glue on his soles). And he lacks the octopus arms that those who rank recruits probably overvalue a bit.

Nonetheless, the 6-foot-5, 170-pounder out of Pittsburgh has what it takes to draw attention from the staff of the most popular and successful modern-day college basketball program. According to a tweet from Adam Zagoria, Duke assistant Nate James will zero in on Gordon at Peach Jam on Thursday — suggesting something the coaches have seen from him in the past has at least made them curious to uncover more.

(The annual summer showcase in North Augusta, S.C., began on Wednesday, but college coaches unwilling to show up in disguise will not be in attendance until Thursday.)

Gordon’s prowess from beyond the arc and the charity stripe certainly appears to be what last season’s Blue Devils desperately needed.

Here are his highlights from his junior season for Pittsburgh’s First Love Christian Academy:

His fadeaway is silky, his floater is nice, his form needs no tinkering, and his arc sure looks just about right to make a splash.

This year as a member of Nike EYBL’s Team Final (Pa.), Gordon’s highlight came in the form of a 27-point performance in late April, which included a 10-for-12 mark from the field, a 3-for-4 mark from downtown, and a 4-for-4 mark from the charity stripe.

Looks like a Curry stat line — exactly the type of shooting numbers that need to be in greater supply in Durham, like they once were, for years to come.

As for that future supply, the Duke basketball staff is still waiting on a nearing decision from five-star 2020 shooting guard B.J. Boston, who has the cheetah, kangaroo, and octopus qualities while also boasting an ability to regularly catch fire.

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Obviously, a commitment from Boston would be sweet. The 6-foot-7, 185-pounder from Atlanta would join what is the nation’s top 2020 class at the moment: point guard Jeremy Roach and small forward Jalen Johnson have already given Mike Krzyzewski and his staff their all-time earliest haul of two five-stars.

But regardless of whether or not Boston also becomes a Blue Devil, considering potentially five or more roster spots are still left to fill for the 2020-21 season, Coach K and Co. can’t be too shy about handing out offers.

Gordon currently holds 15 offers, including three from the ACC: Georgia Tech, Pitt, and Virginia Tech (his Crystal Ball contains no predictions).

If he consistently goes all Curry on the competition at Peach Jam, then it wouldn’t be a surprise if he picks up an invite by week’s end to become a Duke basketball player.

His team’s first game is against Johnson’s Phenom University (Wisc.) at 5 p.m. Wednesday.

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Duke basketball: Blue Devils notice underrated 2020 SG

By Matt Giles | Jul 10, 2019

One 2020 shooting guard who apparently doesn’t check enough boxes to rank higher does offer some of the goods the Duke basketball coaches need.

More from Ball Durham