Duke basketball could soon monopolize college hoops

The unmatched Duke basketball popularity is about to become uber-lucrative.

All the attention should soon pay off for the Duke basketball coaches and fans alike. See, Economics 101 says every five-star should soon have eyes for the school that gives the best chance to maximize moolah from their name, image, and likeness (NIL). So once the NCAA lets student-athletes cash in — likely in time for the 2021-22 academic year — the cream of the crop will need to look no farther than Durham.

Viewing this future of recruiting as a game of Monopoly, Mike Krzyzewski and his entourage would own Boardwalk and Park Place while all others fight over Marvin Gardens and whatever other scraps the Dukies don’t want.

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If you think the program’s social media accounts bode well for Coach K & Co. on the recruiting trail now, just wait. Understand, stats like the ones below could soon be pretty much all that matters when it comes to landing the most elite targets.

Per a tweet this week from SkullSparks, which is a company that “partners with college teams to sharpen digital and design strategy,” the combined 4,357,110 followers of the official Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook accounts for Duke hoops represent a number almost three times that of Kentucky, North Carolina, Indiana, or Kansas and more than four times that of any of the 348 others in Division I. Voila:

Summing up why the Duke basketball staff stands to see its pick of recruits

In the coming new world of collegiate athletics, players will look to grow their own following for the sole purpose of capitalizing on the potential profitability of their social media posts. If you’re old and don’t understand how that works, then ask a 20-year-old or read the following article:

ALSO READ: NCAA cost Duke players $1.3 million last season

There’s no denying it would benefit dudes financially to play for the program with the most followers of its own — not to mention the one that appears on ESPN the most often. Consider that the Blue Devils’ following equals more than three times that of any college football powerhouse as well.

Therefore, soon after the NIL rule changes, maybe Coach K will decide to also snag some 6-foot-6, 320-pound five-star tackle, if for no other reason than to flaunt Duke’s Monopoly win.

Stay tuned to Ball Durham for more news and views regarding all things Duke basketball.