Duke basketball: Breakout PG prospect wants to hear from Blue Devils

Will another great New Jersey floor general be in Duke basketball’s future?

Seeing that the Duke basketball recruiters have barely gotten off the ground on the 2022 trail — no offers yet on the table — it might be a while before they make a concerted effort to peruse and pursue 2023 prospects. But so long as Mike Krzyzewski is still at the program’s helm whenever that time does come, it seems Roselle (N.J.) point guard Simeon Wilcher would welcome a call.

Wilcher, who ranks No. 8 overall on the 2023 ESPN 25, told Travis Branham of 247Sports this week that Duke is one of four recruiting powerhouses he hopes will reach out. He also pointed out a simple explanation as to why:

“I have been wanting to hear from Duke, Kentucky, North Carolina, and Memphis…It’s Duke and coach [Mike] Krzyzewski, one of the best coaches ever.”

No argument there.

ALSO READ: Ranking all 40 Duke teams under Coach K

The 6-foot-4, 165-pound shifty creator garnered attention as a high school freshman last season while dazzling alongside older brother CJ Wilcher, who is set to debut as a shooting guard for Xavier. Now, the younger Wilcher has early high-major offers from the likes of Auburn, Iowa, Oregon, and St. John’s to show for his breakout campaign.

The potential Duke basketball target says his game starts with D

During his chat with Branham, Simeon Wilcher assessed his own game and made sure to note his focus on being a defensive stalwart in the backcourt:

“I take pride in defense. Something my dad always tells me is if I work on the defensive side, then it will work for me on the offensive side…always defense first. Then, I take care of the offensive side. I like to play inside the lane, I can shoot it really well, but my game is to drive and kick, play defense, and to make sure my teammates and myself get the right shots.”

Whether or not Wilcher lands on Duke’s radar will likely be unknown for more than a year. Yet one thing’s for sure: Coach K has experience molding point guards from New Jersey into college superstars (see: Bobby Hurley and Jason Williams).

Stay tuned to Ball Durham for more Duke basketball recruiting news and views.