Two seasons from now, five elite preps on the Duke basketball radar right now could comprise a scary freshman bunch in Durham.
To those critics of the Duke basketball staff’s penchant for one-and-done five-stars in recent years, well, at least there’s this: no Duke team at this point in any recent season has required fans to scroll all the way down the ACC standings to find its record, even when several stars have been hurt for chunks of the same season (ahem, North Carolina).
In fairness, throat-clearing aside, several of the following five 2021 prospects who could seemingly gel well together as Blue Devils are also potential Tar Heels. Naturally, Kentucky is in the mix for many of them as well. So too are other bluebloods and up-and-coming heavyweight recruiters.
ALSO READ: Five-star 2022 guard eyes Duke visit after attending UNC’s debacle
But each of the five here has given off at least some form of Blue Devil vibes.
Each possesses unique strengths. They play various positions. All seem to have team-friendly personalities. Some are even noted buddies. Altogether, the potential group of heralded prospects — who would probably play alongside a few underclassmen on the current Duke squad and three or four of the program’s six 2020 signees to date — would surely form a formidable force, if only for one season.
So let’s get right to the unveiling of this possible Duke basketball dream class with the one high school junior who has already verbally committed to being a freshman the season after next under Mike Krzyzewski (then the other four will appear here from lowest to highest on the 247Sports 2021 Composite)…
Seeing that the 6-foot-7, 200-pound small forward boasts the length, strength, tenacity, and perimeter skills to play several positions, Archbishop Stepinac (N.Y.) junior A.J. Griffin — who announced his decision to join #TheBrotherhood in early November — was an ideal first 2021 catch for the Duke basketball coaches.
In terms of comparisons to former Blue Devils, Griffin appears somewhere in between an R.J. Barrett and Justise Winslow. His outside stroke could use a little tinkering. But his impressive driving ability and aggressive defense leave little room for complaints.
ALSO READ: All-decade Blue Devils from the 2010s
Plus, keep in mind that past recruits to have committed to the Duke basketball program with more than a year to go in high school include legendary names like J.J. Redick and Grayson Allen. In other words, such rare early pledges typically point to an all-in mentality and have turned out well for Mike Krzyzewski. There’s no reason to think Griffin would be an exception.
Of course, it wouldn’t hurt to play alongside a top-of-the-line point guard…
At the moment, the 247Sports Crystal Ball for Briarcrest Christian (Tenn.) junior Kennedy Chandler includes only two picks, yet both do point to the speedy floor general choosing to become a Blue Devil.
Granted, if the 6-foot-1, 165-pound Memphis native did wind up in Durham, he would possibly have to share time or space in the backcourt with Jeremy Roach, Duke’s five-star 2020 signee who may require more than a year of college before turning pro. On the other hand, Chandler — who is more of a score-first guard than Roach and seems to be in the mold of former Duke basketball national champ Jason Williams — has not hidden the fact that he grew up admiring the Blue Devils.
Because he had already scheduled his five allotted official visits for his junior year before Mike Krzyzewski extended an offer in December, Chandler was only able to take an unofficial trip to Durham, which took place back in January and coincided with Duke’s loss to Louisville.
The other nine on his list of favorites, which he unveiled in January, are Kentucky, Memphis, Tennessee, North Carolina, Florida State, Kansas, Michigan, Ole Miss, and Southern Cal. Chandler’s final decision, though, which should come in time for the early signing period in November, could depend on that of a friend of his who is coming up here in a couple of slides…
Rolling Meadows (Ill.) junior Max Christie hails from the suburbs of Chicago, a breeding ground for Blue Devils during Mike Krzyzewski’s 40-year tenure. Working in Duke’s favor in this recruitment is the fact that Jon Scheyer, one such former Chicago-area recruit who is now the associate head coach, is spearheading the program’s hunt for the 6-foot-6, 175-pound sharpshooter.
ALSO READ: Duke’s 10 silkiest shooters of the 2010s
One reason that may be significant is that Scheyer has been among the nation’s top five recruiters in every cycle since 2018, per 247Sports, and ranks No. 1 for the 2020 class. Another reason is that Christie’s refined game, wiry frame, and advanced intellect bring to mind Scheyer from his playing days.
He’s well-spoken. His shooting mechanics are squeaky clean. His handles are on par with a point guard. Sure, Christie’s hops and strength won’t wow spectators, but his decision-making, positive persona, and ability to get buckets should.
Though Christie speaks highly of the coaching staff in Durham, he has neither named finalists nor planned any official visits and has even confirmed that he’s in no hurry at all to make up his mind on a college.
“We’re in a good spot,” Christie said about the Duke basketball coaches to Prep Hoops Illinois insider Scott Burgess in December. “Talking with Coach Scheyer and Coach K, obviously it’s a relationship we can have. Obviously, it’s an open option. My recruitment is open…I’m staying in contact with everybody…
“I do not plan on committing anytime soon.”
In small-ball lineups, which Mike Krzyzewski seems to be gravitating toward, O’Dea (Wash.) junior Paolo Banchero could play center. In fact, the 6-foot-9, 235-pound Seattle native seems to already possess the necessary strength, motor, and footwork to hold his own in the paint at the major-conference level.
ALSO READ: Top five candidates to succeed Coach K
Considering he has a stellar perimeter game for a guy his size to boot, he’d also be a nightmare for true centers to chase around the court. And taking into account the consistent chatter the past six months between himself and Kennedy Chandler about joining forces in college, Banchero is no doubt a critical target for the Blue Devils.
Prior to his official visit in October, where he attended Countdown to Craziness, Banchero named nine favorites: Duke, Kentucky, North Carolina, Tennessee, Memphis, Gonzaga, Baylor, Georgetown, and Washington (the alma mater of both his parents and the current leader inside his 247Sports Crystal Ball). Five of those finalists appear on Chandler’s list as well: Duke, Kentucky, North Carolina, Tennessee, and Memphis.
Like Chandler, Banchero has repeatedly indicated that he is likely to make up his mind on a school in time to sign early. But if the Blue Devils are serious about being the school of choice, then they may want to cash in their frequent-flyer miles now in order to match all the personalized attention he has been receiving from Kentucky’s John Calipari of late.
And that brings us to the final piece — another five-star who is attracting loads of blueblood suitors — to what would be yet another Duke basketball dream class…
As Ball Durham recently opined, the chase for Hamilton (Wis.) junior Patrick Baldwin Jr. — a 6-foot-10, 205-pound small forward whose skills are arguably more advanced than any of his 2021 peers — represents the one must-win for the Duke staff:
“Only three of the past 16 Duke basketball teams have made less than 37.0 percent of their 3-point attempts. One was last season’s bunch, who turned in a 30.8 eyesore. Another is the current squad, sitting on a [35.5 clip through 25 games].
“A possible future solution, at least for one season, could come in the form of [Baldwin Jr.]…But Baldwin Jr., who recently told Rivals’ Eric Bossi that he ‘would definitely like to get out to Duke’ for an unofficial visit, is more than just a long-range sniper with a picture-perfect trigger. In fact, what seems to separate the 17-year-old from his peers — as one might expect from the son of a college coach — is his refined, smooth movements all over the court, translating into a remarkably confident demeanor with the ball in his hands.
“Plus, he boasts a lean frame with long arms in addition to off-the-charts basketball IQ and adequate athleticism. Former Duke basketball national champ Mike Dunleavy Jr., another head coach’s offspring, seems to be a relatively suitable comparison.”
ALSO READ: The 100 greatest Blue Devils under coach K
With seven expert picks in thus far, the 247Sports Crystal Ball unanimously shows Baldwin Jr. as a future Blue Devil. However, he has not taken official visits and doesn’t intend to name favorites until at least the summer.
And new eyeballs have been at his games of late — like those of North Carolina head coach Roy Williams, according to recruiting insider Andrew Slater — suggesting other big-name recruiters are still likely to enter the battle for his services.
So there you have it. Baldwin Jr., who in July 2018 became the youngest recipient of a Mike Krzyzewski offer, represents the finishing touch to this proposed dream class. And his touch would put such a crop — five five-stars among the top 15 on the 247Sports Composite — in the discussion of the all-time best.
A dream, yes, but definitely a realistic one.
Note: The other 2021 recruits holding Duke offers at the moment are The Patrick School (N.J.) five-star small forward Jonathan Kuminga, Paul VI Catholic (Va.) four-star shooting guard Trevor Keels, and Andrews Osborne Academy (Ohio) four-star center Charles Bediako.
Stay tuned to Ball Durham for more Duke basketball recruiting updates, analyses, opinions, and predictions.