Duke basketball: Two recruiting races see sudden surge from Blue Devils

CHARLES BEDIAKO

Duke needs big men for the future. Knowing that incoming grad transfer Patrick Tape has only one year of remaining eligibility and assuming Matthew Hurt leaves for the NBA after his upcoming sophomore campaign, the only returning scholarship power forwards or centers on the 2021-22 roster would be then-sophomores Henry Coleman, Jaemyn Brakefield, and Mark Williams.

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That’s why it has been a bit of a surprise to see such minimal contact between the Blue Devils and Andrews Osborne (Ohio) center Charles Bediako ever since Mike Krzyzewski extended an offer to the towering talent in December. After all, the 6-foot-11, 220-pound five-star has risen from No. 90 to No. 23 on the 247Sports 2021 Composite across the past year by polishing the post moves that accompany his block-friendly lengthy frame.

On the other hand, Bediako was at one time loosely considering a reclass to 2020, which may have left Coach K & Co. in limbo. Yet now that the Blue Devils have filled their paint needs for next season as the 18-year-old recruit looks locked in on staying put in 2021, the wheels to Duke’s pursuit appear to be back in motion.

Per a follow-up tweet from Stock Risers‘ Jake Weingarten, like Trevor Keels, Bediako will also receive a virtual call from the entire Duke staff at some point on Tuesday. In other words, it’s once again game on for the Blue Devils.

At this point, the Crystal Ball favors Alabama. Other schools hot on Bediako’s trail include Michigan, who just reached out with an offer in April, and Michigan State, who hosted him for a virtual visit last week, in addition to Illinois, Maryland, and Ohio State. He has also neither announced a list of favorites nor set a time for choosing a destination.

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