Top four frontrunners for five-star Duke basketball target Trevor Keels

Four leading contenders for Duke basketball target Trevor Keels: Cavaliers

Yes, the empty Crystal Ball, the nonexistence of named finalists, and the lack of other hints from the prospect himself all signal a relatively wide-open race. However, now that Villanova looks pretty set on the perimeter with its four-deep 2021 class already in hand, the popular pick to be the eventual landing spot of Trevor Keels is looking more and more like Virginia. Yet Rivals insider Corey Evans hesitated this week in tagging the Cavaliers as overwhelming favorites:

“Could that mean Virginia is the team to beat? I am not sure that I would go that far just yet.”

Two weeks ago, though, Evans did outline a multitude of reasons that Keels might be most fond of 2019 NCAA Championship head coach Tony Bennett and his proven system in Charlottesville:

“…While Nova has been involved with the Paul VI product dating back to his freshman season, the same could be said for the Wahoos…A capable shot-maker that can play on and off the ball and is one of the more underrated perimeter defenders, there are not many others tailor-made for Tony Bennett’s system than Keels. Joining his former travel program teammate, Casey Morsell, is another sell that could only help UVA…”

Evans then summed up the importance of Keels to Bennett’s program:

“Virginia doesn’t have many needs in the 2021 class, which has allowed for it to focus on Keels as the guy it wants before all others.”

Tough to top all that. But unless time is running out quicker than Keels has let on, all four programs on this list in addition to a few others — notably Michigan and Ohio State — should at least remain in the hunt until the coveted recruit publicly cuts them from contention.

Stay tuned to Ball Durham for more on Trevor Keels plus other Duke basketball recruiting news, views, and predictions.