What’s the latest chatter on Duke basketball’s efforts with the 2021 class?
Despite some forecasts from recruiting gurus in early November that projected at least one of the three remaining Duke basketball targets to come off the board by the end of the early signing period for the 2021 class (Nov. 11-18), the week came and went without any member of the trio announcing a decision.
However, the signing period was far from a bust for the Blue Devils. Mike Krzyzewski and his staff secured signatures from their two prior pledges among current high school seniors in O’Dea (Wash.) power forward Paolo Banchero and Archbishop Stepinac (N.Y.) small forward AJ Griffin, five-stars who rank No. 3 and No. 6, respectively, on the 247Sports 2021 Composite.
But with the desire to land at least another five-star prize or two from the class, the Blue Devils will just have to continue their pursuits of the three premier targets who have been on their radar for roughly a year or more.
So where do the Duke basketball coaches currently stand with Hamilton (Wis.) five-star small forward Patrick Baldwin Jr., Paul VI (Va.) five-star shooting guard Trevor Keels, and IMG (Fla.) five-star center Charles Bediako? And when might Baldwin Jr., Keels, and Bediako put an end to the recruiting process by choosing a college destination?
Well, let’s examine all three races, one at a time, including a look at the most recent intel from insiders. We’ll also provide the current predictions here for each…
The latest on Duke basketball recruiting target Charles Bediako
Yes, the Duke basketball program stands to lose all but one or two of its post players following the 2020-21 season. Nevertheless, the thought among most fans and analysts is that, if need be, Paolo Banchero will easily hold down the five-spot in Durham during what will likely be his lone season in college before turning pro.
Plus, as Travis Branham of 247Sports recently opined, the Blue Devils come across as primarily focused on their pursuits of the other two coveted players on their offer sheet and aren’t acting as if they are at all desperate for more big men:
“They also have another outstanding offer out to Charles Bediako, but the Blue Devils have not gone ‘all-in’…[247Sports Crystal Ball leader] Alabama appears to be the leader for the Canadian.”
This week, Dan McDonald of Rivals seemed to subscribe to the same sentiment with regards to Duke’s tapering interest in the 6-foot-11, 225-pound center. But McDonald did name another growing recruiting power to watch out for as Bediako, who ranks No. 23 overall on the 247Sports 2021 Composite, appears to creep up on a commitment date:
“Bediako put out a top five that included Alabama, Duke, Michigan, Ohio State, and Texas last month. Alabama and Michigan are both strong here. A decision could be made sooner than later…”
Predicted landing spot for Charles Bediako: Alabama
The latest on Duke basketball recruiting target Trevor Keels
Trevor Keels, who ranks No. 16 overall on the 247Sports 2021 Composite and starred as a versatile two-guard in the Paul VI backcourt last season alongside current Duke freshman point guard Jeremy Roach, has always been relatively quiet when it comes to speaking to insiders and providing hints about his future.
Yet back in early September, the 6-foot-5, 210-pound perimeter weapon did hint at an impending decision by cutting his list of suitors to a final three of Duke, Villanova, and Virginia. That sparked three 247Sports Crystal Ball picks — still the only ones for Keels — all favoring the Blue Devils yet all coming from Duke insiders.
But now, more than two months later, it seems folks are about as uncertain as ever when trying to predict both the destination of Keels and the month in which the announcement will arrive from the sturdy sharpshooter.
Perhaps Keels is waiting to watch most of the 2020-21 college season, in hopes of determining which underclassman guards for the Blue Devils, Wildcats, and Cavaliers will be headed for the NBA come spring.
Earlier this month, though, 247Sports insider Travis Branham took a stab at predicting perhaps the most unpredictable undecided 2021 battle:
“Right now, it’s close with all three, but Duke and Villanova have appeared to gain some separation from Virginia. Ultimately, given the Paul VI and Jeremy Roach ties, I’d give the edge to the Blue Devils. When that decision will be made sounds to be later rather than sooner, but like [surprise Duke commit Paolo Banchero], the expectation is not always the case.”
On Monday, Rivals insider Dan McDonald chimed in with a similar outlook on the ongoing chase for Keels:
“Keels released a top three of Duke, Villanova, and Virginia back in September, and not much has changed since then. There is no timetable for a decision. Let’s give Duke a slight edge over Villanova in this one for now.”
Predicted landing spot for Trevor Keels: Duke
The latest on Duke basketball recruiting target Patrick Baldwin Jr.
At this point, it’s obvious that Patrick Baldwin Jr., who is the No. 1 overall prospect on the 247Sports 2021 Composite and has now held a Duke offer for about 2.5 years, is struggling to pull the trigger on a decision. That makes sense, of course, considering his father, the head coach at Wisconsin-Milwaukee, is one of the 6-foot-10, 205-pound sniper’s 10 finalists.
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The other nine programs all technically still in contention for Baldwin Jr.’s services are Georgetown, Kentucky, Michigan, North Carolina, Northwestern, UCLA, Virginia, Wisconsin, and the leader from Day One inside the 247Sports Crystal Ball, Duke.
Matthew Bain of USA Today recently gave his take on what he sees as a two-horse race, with perhaps a slight advantage going to the dad:
“Chatter says his recruitment will come down to Duke and…Wisconsin-Milwaukee? Yep…it’s thought the younger Baldwin isn’t just considering his dad to be nice. It’s a real possibility [Baldwin Jr.] plays his one year of college basketball in the Horizon League. Someone with his talent will be a high NBA Draft pick no matter where he plays in college.”
Meanwhile, Rivals insider Dan McDonald sees a third program — one that is eight miles down Tobacco Road from Duke — as still realistically in play, especially since the end date of Baldwin Jr.’s recruitment remains up in the air:
“We’ll keep this one simple. Does he want to play for his father, the head coach at Milwaukee, or does he want to play for a blueblood? If it’s the latter, Duke has long been rumored as the favorite, but North Carolina shouldn’t be counted out. There isn’t a concrete timetable for when he’ll come to a decision.”
Predicted landing spot for Patrick Baldwin Jr.: Duke
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