Duke basketball: Blue Devils contact powerful 2022 big man

Add a burgeoning bruiser to the stack of potential Duke basketball targets.

On Monday, the first day that college coaches could directly dial 2022 recruits, the Duke basketball staff sought to address future needs in the paint by reaching out to a 6-foot-10, 240-pound center who exhibits a strong collection of sure-footed post moves and a keen eye for rebounds.

Per a tweet from Stock Risers recruiting insider Jake Weingarten, North Dallas Adventist Academy (Texas) five-star Lee Dort saw his phone light up, hearing from Duke, Baylor, Memphis, Kansas, Illinois, Arizona, Mississippi State, UCLA, Oklahoma State, and Purdue.

Dort entered the day with roughly a dozen offers, mostly from schools in or around The Lone Star State. But if the noted growth in his game and frame across the past year is any indication, then expect his number of suitors to soon increase substantially and begin coming from all parts of the country.

How the new Duke basketball interest sizes up to his peers in the paint

Naturally, in light of the call this week from Duke, it wouldn’t be a surprise if head coach Mike Krzyzewski eventually extends an offer to Dort, who ranks No. 13 overall on the 247Sports 2022 Composite.

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In just his second season of high school hoops, the All-State Second Team selection averaged 18.4 points, 17.8 rebounds, and 2.1 blocks. Interestingly, as part of their February rankings of the top 100 prep players across all grade levels, Rivals recruiting analysts Corey Evans and Eric Bossi placed Dort at No. 73, six spots ahead of incoming Duke freshman center Mark Williams, and included their brief observation of his game:

“Already one of the biggest and strongest post players in the country as just a sophomore. He tries to dunk everything and is due for a big spring and summer.”

No rising juniors yet hold Duke offers. Other than Dort, the only big man from the class who thus far appears to be anywhere on the radar of Krzyzewski and his assistants is George Harris Prep (Ont.) four-star center Enoch Boakye.

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