Duke basketball visit leaves key recruit with grand visions

Based on a four-star 2020 workhorse’s account of his recent firsthand look inside the Duke basketball program, he wouldn’t likely ride the bench should he decide to join the Blue Devils.

The focused attention alone typically leaves recruits with fuzzy feelings coming off official visits. But what seems a recruiting specialty of Duke basketball head coach Mike Krzyzewski is ensuring elite targets leave with a clear picture of the role he envisions for them in helping the Blue Devils experience those feelings that only come after finishing a season with a win.

Trinity Episcopal School (Va.) power forward Henry Coleman left his Labor Day Weekend visit to Durham with a vision he seems to like — as well as loads of respect for the man who provided the vision.

"“He’s as great of a guy off the court as he is on the court,” the versatile 6-foot-7, 220-pounder said of Krzyzewski to 247Sports’ Evan Daniels. “From a basketball perspective, he sees me playing the three-four position, a guy that is almost positionless, I can bring the ball up, shoot the three and shoot the mid-range, but also if I have a smaller guy on me, I can punish them in the post. He also said that I can be a vocal leader for the team and off the court…“I’m a guy that really fits the Duke mold.”"

Coach K and his assistants also laid out comparisons to three guys who fit the Duke mold so well that they each helped the Blue Devils to a national championship.

"“From a leadership standpoint, Shane Battier, Mike Dunleavy,” Coleman recounted to Daniels of the staff’s comparisons, “but then playing style, guys kind of like Justise Winslow who can float around and do everything.”"

At No. 40 on the latest 247Sports 2020 Composite, Coleman ranks significantly lower than all three of the forwards above did as recruits. That being said, those who put out rankings — typically with NBA potential in mind — are likely dinging him a few too many points for his work-in-progress ball-handling and shooting while not giving enough respect to his powerful frame and nonstop motor on both ends.

Regardless of rankings, future Duke basketball rosters — possibly up to four — could sure use a stable force like Coleman. Encouragingly, all seven picks into the 247Sports Crystal Ball currently show the Blue Devils getting their wish.

And Coleman’s summary of his visit to Daniels only adds to the current fuzzy feelings on both sides:

"“It was good, it was a humbling experience, just talking with Coach K and just a guy with that magnitude and…so much knowledge about the game, was really cool. I talked with the players and they were genuinely great guys. I played a little bit with them, so overall it was a great visit.”"

Coleman, who landed his Duke basketball offer in July, has only one other scheduled visit at the moment: to Virginia Tech the weekend of Sept. 14. His plan right now, he informed Daniels, is to announce his college choice around the beginning of October — his other finalists are N.C. State, Michigan, and Ohio State.

Per 247Sports, Duke basketball assistant coach Nate James — who, as a player, serves as another close comparison for Coleman — is spearheading the program’s pursuit (the site gives James credit for seven Duke commits dating back to Grayson Allen giving him his first).

The Blue Devils already have 2020 commitments from five-star small forward Jalen Johnson and five-star point guard Jeremy Roach. Along with Coleman, the staff is waiting on answers from five-star small forward Ziaire Williams, five-star center Walker Kessler, four-star center Mark Williams, and four-star combo guard D.J. Steward.

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