Top 10 Duke basketball target looks to be headed elsewhere

The Duke basketball staff is likely to take a recruiting loss this weekend.

There is a buzz that a top 10 recruit in the 2021 class is about to announce his decision either on Friday or Saturday. And though the recruiting insiders have been a bit cryptic when dropping the hints, it seems the recruit in question is a Duke basketball target who would be headed some 650 miles from Durham in Ann Arbor.

Late Thursday, a tweet came out from Tipton Edits — the creative photoshopping account that many elite prospects use to announce their lists and final decisions — indicating that there will be a five-star commitment “within the next 24-48 hours.”

Assuming the tweet is referring to a 2021 recruit, that narrows it down to only about a dozen five-stars who have yet to commit.

Then, with the use of only three emojis, renowned predictor Andrew Slater seemed to clarify which five-star it will be and where he will land. The emojis? A crystal ball, a Canadian flag, and a golden “M.”

Now, there are two 2021 five-stars who are Canadian: small forward Caleb Houstan, who ranks No. 8 on the 247Sports 2021 Composite, and center Charles Bediako, who ranks No. 23.

Both Houstan and Bediako, who each hold a Duke offer and included the Blue Devils among their finalists, have suggested in recent weeks that an announcement could be close at hand. Plus, both are still technically considering Michigan (in this case, the golden “M” is seen as a reference to the Wolverines).

That said, the 247Sports Crystal Ball has shown Alabama as the clear favorite for Bediako, and the experts continue to come across as considerably confident in that projection.

Therefore, the general consensus is that Houstan, whose 247Sports Crystal Ball had sat empty until Thursday night but is now suddenly full of Michigan picks, is the one who is about to make the announcement. This means the Blue Devils are all but sure to miss out on the 6-foot-8, 205-pound sharpshooter, who also has Virginia and Alabama in his final four.

What’s left for the Duke basketball recruiting team in 2021?

Houstan to Michigan would leave Duke with three remaining 2021 targets — only two if you believe Bediako is indeed bound for Alabama. Those two targets are both five-stars as well: small forward Patrick Baldwin Jr., who ranks No. 1 overall in the class, plus shooting guard Trevor Keels, who ranks No. 16. The Crystal Ball for Baldwin Jr. and Keels show the Blue Devils as the favorites.

ALSO READ: Blue Devils face major recruiting issue

Currently, with less than two weeks before the early signing period begins on Nov. 11, Duke head coach Mike Krzyzewski and his assistants boast two 2021 pledges, both five-stars: power forward Paolo Banchero, who ranks No. 3, and small forward AJ Griffin, who ranks No. 6.

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