Top-ranked SG may reclass to pad 2020 Duke basketball class

One potential 2020 Duke basketball recruiting miss could prove a blessing in disguise if a certain sensational 2021 prospect at the same position were to swoop in with a timely reclass and commitment.

Maybe Terrence Clarke has noticed the Duke basketball coaches appearing to lose ground in the race for five-star 2020 shooting guard Brandon Boston Jr.

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Or maybe Clarke caught the ESPY Awards on Wednesday night and noticed the sincerity in the voice of the most spectacular hoops specimen on the planet, Zion Williamson, who honored #TheBrotherhood with a shoutout while dropping as many “Duke” advertisements as he could during his humbly brief acceptance speech as Best College Athlete.

Whatever the reason, Clarke, No. 3 overall and the No. 1 shooting guard on the 247Sports Composite for the 2021 class, is suddenly talking about reclassing while expressing definite curiosity in becoming a Blue Devil.

A reclass certainly makes sense.

He’ll turn 18 on Sept. 6, less than a month into what would be his junior year of high school if he chose not to reclass — meaning he’d be 20 by his first college game.

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Head coach Mike Krzyzewski has not yet extended an offer to the 6-foot-7, 185-pound lightfooted five-star out of Boston — who would absolutely be the best Duke alternative to Boston. That being said, Clarke has said he’s in regular contact with the Blue Devil coaches and reportedly told Adam Zagoria at Peach Jam this week that they have told him they would be open to his joining either the 2020 or 2021 class.

Also, again according to Zagoria, the Duke staff has told Clarke, who currently holds 26 offers and has drawn heavy interest from 247Sports Crystal Ball leader Kentucky, that in Durham he would fit into a similar role R.J. Barrett shined in as a one-and-done Blue Devil last season.

But Duke basketball fans must slide back in time more than 30 years to find the former Blue Devil star Clarke’s game most resembles: Johnny Dawkins, whose No. 24 forever hangs in Cameron Indoor Stadium and who held the honor as the program’s all-time leading scorer (2,556) until J.J. Redick surpassed his mark 20 years later.

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Again, light on his feet. As feathery as footsteps come. An extra-jumpy jumper. Squirrel-like movements with point-like handles. Plenty of swishes and dishes. Supreme feel for the game. Quick-minded defender.

Like Dawkins, Clarke just looks like a winner:

Like Boston, Clarke’s scoring ability would go well with the two 2020 Blue Devil commits to date: five-star small forward Jalen Johnson and five-star point guard Jeremy Roach, whose signatures are finding buckets for their teammates.

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Furthermore, Clarke might like the look of a 2020-21 Duke roster looking to offer plenty of up-for-grabs playing time (Joey Baker, Alex O’Connell, Jordan Goldwire, and Mike Buckmire could potentially be the only returning scholarship players the season after next).

The only 2021 recruits with Duke offers right now are two small forwards: Patrick Baldwin Jr., who recently dropped to No. 2 on the composite, and A.J. Griffin, who ranks No. 10.

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A few others are starting to glow brighter on Duke’s radar.

But maybe none are popping up on said radar more often than Clarke.

And that will certainly be the case if Boston, who could announce as soon as this month, commits to Kentucky or Oregon while Clarke keeps talking about possibly swooping into Durham a year from now instead of two.

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