Duke basketball coaches close in on future frontcourt stability

Whether by design or happenstance, the totality of Duke basketball recruiting news this week shows potentially three multi-year solutions to needs in the paint.

Ever since a trio of four-year Plumlee brothers combined to give the Duke basketball frontcourt a solid foundation for nearly a decade, the turnover rate down low has been on the rise.

The past three seasons alone have seen Harry Giles, Chase Jeter, Marvin Bagley III, Wendell Carter Jr., Zion Williamson, and Marques Bolden all depart Durham — for various reasons — before their eligibilities expired.

Plus, two current freshmen, power forward Matthew Hurt and center Vernon Carey Jr., are strong candidates to cash in their talents following this season.

But times appear to be changing.

On Friday, Mike Krzyzewski and his assistants landed their first commitment from a 2020 post presence in Trinity Episcopal School (Va.) power forward Henry Coleman. The 6-foot-7, 220-pound four-star, who ranks No. 40 on the 247Sports 2020 Composite, has a chiseled frame, a great attitude, and a dependable skill set. However, he is missing the necessary wow factor to project as a one-and-done college player.

Same goes for Coleman’s four-star best friend, IMG Academy (Fla.) senior center Mark Williams, who ranks No. 29 and seems a near-lock to join #TheBrotherhood soon after his official visit the first weekend of November.

While Williams regularly shows off his elite shot-blocking and impressive motor, the 7-foot-1, 225-pounder does not possess sufficient scoring abilities, athleticism, or strength to make NBA scouts jump out of their seats.

Both Coleman and Williams have reputations as tremendous students — Coleman is the president of his student body. So when both express how much they value a college education, it seems they aren’t just doing so to appease their parents and old-school fans.

Finally, DeMatha Catholic (Md.) center Hunter Dickinson announced on Saturday that he too now holds a 2020 Duke basketball offer. The invite to the 7-foot-2, 260-pound four-star came in the wake of UNC snagging a stunning commitment on Sunday from five-star 7-footer Walker Kessler, a longtime Duke target whose total package does look one college season away from being NBA-ready.

Members of the Duke basketball staff have planned an in-home visit with Dickinson for Sunday, per Rivals insider Corey Evans. Therefore, also taking into account that Dickinson informed 247Sports insider Evan Daniels he now “definitely” wants to use his fifth allotted official visit to soon drop in on the Blue Devils confirms there is wiggle room to his July list of finalists: UNC, Michigan, Florida State, Purdue, Louisville, Notre Dame, and Providence.

Dickinson is essentially an evolved version of former Duke basketball jumbo Brian Zoubek.

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The lefty ranks No. 34 and boasts a solid all-around repertoire around the rim, including a knack for turning offensive rebounds into either quick putbacks or passes out to an open 3-point shooter. That being said, Dickinson lacks the quick feet and explosiveness to land on most 2021 mock drafts.

No definitive timetable is known for Dickinson’s final decision, but signing him in November is probably a realistic goal for Krzyzewski and his cohorts. At the moment, his Crystal Ball only consists of two picks — both in favor of Michigan.

All in all, worry over a potential 2020-21 Duke basketball roster void of returning frontcourt talent is diminishing with each recruiting update as of late. Ditto for the concern that the annual need to all but totally reload down low will never come to an end.

The Blue Devils now hold 2020 commitments from Coleman and three five-stars: point guard Jeremy Roach, combo guard D.J. Steward, and small forward Jalen Johnson. And the staff’s list of outstanding offers consists of Williams, Dickinson, and five-star small forward Ziaire Williams.

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