Duke basketball: Three reasons No. 1 recruit may delay decision day
By Matt Giles
Why has the most important Duke basketball target not picked a destination?
One 2021 commit in tow. And 12 months to go before rising high school seniors become college freshmen. Yes, it’s safe to say the Duke basketball staff has ample time to finish building what needs to be at least a four-deep class. Besides, now that Mike Krzyzewski has proven willing to welcome grad transfers (see: Patrick Tape), he’ll surely have some decent options next spring should it come to that.
However, factoring in that 48 of the top 100 on the 247Sports 2021 Composite have already announced where they’ll be headed this time next year, it seems this cycle is advancing at a record pace. Staying positive, though, Duke’s lone pledge, Archbishop Stepinac (N.Y.) five-star small forward AJ Griffin, is still the highest-ranked prospect off the board at No. 6.
Plus, Hamilton (Wis.) five-star small forward Patrick Baldwin Jr., who ranks No.1, is seen as a Blue Devil lean. Yet uncertainty remains as to when the 6-foot-10, 205-pound phenom will choose from his 10 finalists: Duke, Georgetown, Kentucky, Michigan, North Carolina, Northwestern, UCLA, Virginia, Wisconsin, and Wisconsin-Milwaukee.
ALSO READ: Ranking the chances of 10 finalists for Patrick Baldwin Jr.
Considering the Crystal Ball has favored the Blue Devils ever since July 2018 when Baldwin Jr. became the youngest to ever earn a Coach K offer, many figured the sharpshooter would’ve already pulled the trigger. So what’s taking so long? Well, here are three logical explanations for the delay…