Duke basketball: Potentially perfect 2021 PG for Blue Devils

A rising-star North Carolinian could be just the guy Duke basketball needs.

There can’t be too many more fitting names for a point guard than Breon Pass. Now that the Reidsville (N.C.) two-sport rising senior has confirmed his intentions to focus on hoop pursuits over wide receiver aspirations — “Pass” would certainly suit either profession — he could fit what the Duke basketball program may soon be looking for on the 2021 trail.

Assuming Mike Krzyzewski and his gang indeed miss on five-star point guard Kennedy Chandler and/or five-star shooting guard Trevor Keels, they will still need some sort of replacement(s) for now-senior combo guard Jordan Goldwire plus potentially up to two perimeter one-and-dones in point guard Jeremy Roach and combo guard DJ Steward.

ALSO READ: Three Blue Devils most likely to leave early next year

Pass, a dogged defender on the hardwood who already holds a Duke football offer, has apparently caught the attention of Coach K & Co., even if only as a potential part-time hoopster in the mold of former full-time Blue Devil wide receiver Reggie Love. Per an article on Thursday from Rivals insiders Eric Bossi and Corey Evans, Duke is indeed among five North Carolina schools that have invited the 6-foot, 175-pound three-star (his rating in both sports) to pursue two athletic dreams:

“Duke, North Carolina, NC State, Wake Forest, and East Carolina have offered Pass the chance to play both sports in college but, for now, basketball will have his attention…With this decision, Pass becomes the latest high-major point guard target to emerge in the 2021 class. He is not an explosive athlete, but is fluid, crafty and has some wiggle to his game…has the chance to take off in the coming months now that his entire focus is on the basketball side.”‘

Is there ample time for Duke basketball to ramp up its interest?

Bear in mind, there’s no word of a hoops-only Duke offer. Plus, seeing that the NC State hoops staff has made clear its desire to land Pass ever since the poised, zigzagging floor general caught their eyes two summers ago, it seems the Wolfpack are solid frontrunners. However, Bossi and Evans noted that the still-unranked basketball prospect isn’t likely to decide on a destination anytime soon yet is likely to attract more suitors due to his recent AAU play (see below):

“Among the basketball programs most heavily involved are Davidson, East Carolina, Georgia Tech, NC State, Providence, and St. John’s, but it doesn’t seem that the breakout has stopped for the well-rounded Pass. He took unofficial visits to ECU and NC State before the pandemic hit but has yet to take an official visit, so a decision could still be far away.”

Yes, down the road, after first watching how current 2021 battles shake out, Pass could be an ideal option for Duke basketball (granted, the level of interest from both parties remains a question mark). Besides, the only other such backup plan that has come up in recent months is French wing sensation Ousmane Dieng, and all types of global uncertainty might be preventing the advancement of that idea at the moment.

Outside of perimeter targets Chandler and Keels, Duke basketball offers are out to four other rising seniors, all five-stars: small forward Caleb Houstan, small forward Patrick Baldwin Jr., power forward Paolo Banchero, and center Charles Bediako. Five-star small forward AJ Griffin remains the lone 2021 commit for the Blue Devils.

Stay tuned to Ball Durham for more on the pursuit of the 2021 class plus other Duke basketball recruiting news and views.