While the Duke basketball coaches appear to be the frontrunners for arguably the most polished prep giant, their nearby nemeses have an opening to pull ahead down the homestretch.
Woodward Academy (College Park, Ga.) senior Walker Kessler, who ranks No. 15 overall and No. 3 among centers on the 247Sports 2020 Composite, has stressed the importance of playing alongside a point guard who suits his game. From all accounts, Duke basketball five-star commit Jeremy Roach, a pass-first facilitator who ranks No. 20 overall and No. 3 among floor generals, fits the bill.
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Eight of the 10 Crystal Ball picks reflect the notion that Mike Krzyzewski’s program checks enough boxes to be the lucky winner when Kessler announces his college choice sometime between now and the early signing period (Nov. 13-21). Plus, the Duke staff is the only two-time host for the 7-foot, 235-pound five-star, who took an official visit to Durham the weekend of Feb. 1 and then again two weekends ago.
All that being said, five other finalists remain in contention: North Carolina, Auburn, Michigan, Gonzaga, and Cal. And Krzyzewski’s rival peer from eight miles down Tobacco Road, UNC head coach Roy Williams, is either crafty enough or fortunate enough to be hosting the multifaceted big man this weekend at the same time as five-star point guard Caleb Love, who ranks one spot behind Roach.
Despite no Crystal Ball picks yet in existence, Love is a potential early signee who already took an official visit to Chapel Hill once before and is the top candidate to replace Cole Anthony — aka, UNC’s likely one-and-done point guard this season.
Possibly dinging UNC’s case, though, is the fact Love has a reputation as a shoot-first playmaker. Of course, reading what Kessler and his father, Chad, had to say about Williams this week should be nothing short of encouraging for the Tar Heels.
"“I love the program down there, I love Coach Roy,” Kessler remarked, per Inside Carolina’s Sherrell McMillan. “…Coach Williams is one of the top five coaches in NCAA college history, and that’s enough right there to make anyone want to go there.”"
The elder Kessler chimed in with his own unique praise:
"“[Williams] is a remarkable guy, and I just really enjoyed talking to him. He’s so personable, and he’s a legend yet just a really easy person to talk to.”"
Of course, kind words regularly flow leading up to and immediately following official visits. Regardless, Williams and his cohorts are in the midst of a golden opportunity to make a strong final impression. After all, it’s possible Kessler and Love could gel and both fall under a baby-blue spell by the time they depart on Sunday.
Considering Kessler has no future visits set in stone — he was at Michigan in August and Auburn in June — UNC could end up as his last destination, and then it wouldn’t be too much of a shock if he reaches a decision as soon as next week. In short, Williams has a legit shot to come out on top.
Granted, most experts still see enough reasons to feel confident labeling the chase for Kessler as Duke’s to lose.
"“He’s mentioned multiple times that he’ll be paying attention to who he’ll play with and the type of players they are,” Rivals’ Dan McDonald wrote in July. “I think Kessler would complement [five-star small forward Jalen Johnson] and Roach sort of like a 2020 version of Christian Laettner.”"
Kessler is well aware of the bold comparison to a Duke basketball legend who hit enough clutch shots to reach four final fours (1989-92) and win two national titles (1991, 1992). And the 18-year-old has expressed deep respect for Laettner’s college coach, who pointed out some of these similarities: neither boasts extreme athleticism, but both have silky touch extending beyond the arc in addition to supreme footwork, instincts, intelligence, and confidence.
"“Duke has, out of the bluebloods, recruited me the hardest, and Coach K has said he really believes in me,” Kessler informed McDonald. “Coming from one of the top college basketball coaches, that means a lot.”"
Whether it means more than what Ol’ Roy has to say — or maybe one of the other suitors manages to keep Kessler off Tobacco Road altogether — remains to be seen, but not for much longer.
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In addition to Kessler, five-star small forward Ziaire Williams, four-star center Mark Williams, and four-star power forward Henry Coleman all still hold outstanding Duke basketball offers.
Adding to a class that has included Johnson and Roach for months but still needs pieces of pretty much all shapes and sizes, the Duke basketball recruiters beat out the gang from UNC with a Wednesday pledge from five-star combo guard D.J. Steward.
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Stay tuned to Ball Durham more Duke basketball recruiting updates, analyses, opinions, and predictions.