Duke basketball staff to precede UNC on 3K-mile recruiting visit

Yet another heralded recruit has pitted the Duke basketball program against its rival, but this potential ACC stud is farther than most from Tobacco Road.

Evidently, the entire Duke basketball staff was already on tap for a cross-country trip to visit with Paolo Banchero prior to the five-star’s Friday announcement of nine finalists: Duke, North Carolina, Kentucky, Tennessee, Baylor, Memphis, Georgetown, Gonzaga, and Washington.

Thursday night, the five-star 2021 power forward reportedly informed Stock Risers’ Jake Weingarten that Duke head coach Mike Krzyzewski and all of his assistants plan to be at his O’Dea High School (Wash.) on Tuesday. Weingarten later reported that UNC will send assistant Hubert Davis to Seattle for the same reason on Wednesday.

Both the Blue Devils and Tar Heels are set to host Banchero for official visits. The 6-foot-9, 235-pound 16-year-old will be in Durham the weekend of Oct. 18, coinciding with Countdown to Craziness, three weeks after returning from Chapel Hill. He has also scheduled visits to Kentucky (Oct. 11), Tennessee (Oct. 25), and Gonzaga (Jan. 17).

Banchero is a versatile bruiser who ranks No. 4 on the 247Sports 2021 Composite. In terms both Blue Devils and Tar Heels can easily wrap their heads around, his skills and physique bring to mind a cross between Jabari Parker and Brice Johnson.

As is typical with elite targets, Kentucky appears to pose the biggest threat to Duke and UNC in snagging Banchero — despite both of his parents being Washington alums and all eight 247Sports Crystal Ball picks currently favoring the Huskies. Here’s how Rivals’ Eric Bossi broke down the race on Monday:

"“Banchero isn’t expected to make a decision in the near future and lots is left to play out. But, if I were to handicap the teams with the best chance of beating Washington, I would look at Duke and Kentucky. There’s been a lot of positive buzz on the recruiting grapevine regarding their chances so it’s going to be interesting to see what kind of talk starts circulating once Banchero starts hitting the road in two weeks.”"

ALSO READ: Paolo Banchero ‘really high on Kentucky’

In August, Banchero ended the talks of a possible reclass to 2020. The other 2021 prospects holding Duke basketball offers at the moment are also all five-stars: shooting guard Max Christie, small forward Jonathan Kuminga, small forward A.J. Griffin, and small forward Patrick Baldwin Jr.

ALSO READ: Coach K must offer 7-foot marvel, pronto

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