Duke basketball: Five-star defensive specialist wants Blue Devil offer

A sensation on both ends of the floor is seeking Duke basketball attention.

Given that perimeter defense has so often been a Duke basketball specialty over the years, one would think Richardson (Texas) combo guard Cason Wallace will eventually catch the eyes of Mike Krzyzewski and his staff.

Wallace, who ranks No. 18 overall on the 247Sports 2022 Composite, already boasts more than a dozen offers from major conferences and is known as arguably the No. 1 backcourt defender among current high school juniors. This week, the 6-foot-4, 180-pound five-star told Joseph Tipton of Tipton Edits that Duke is among a handful of schools he would like to hear from.

ALSO READ: Five-star 2022 wing gives firm deadline for his recruitment

Others on Wallace’s list of hopeful offers are Florida, Gonzaga, Memphis, North Texas, and UCLA. The pickpocketing phenom also noted that he expects to soon earn offers from North Carolina and Kentucky based on their recent conversations.

According to Wallace’s chat with Tipton, there is still plenty of time for more coaches to enter the race. He said he’ll probably start thinking about putting out a list of favorites at some point this summer but did not give a timeline for making a final decision.

Scout’s take on the potential Duke basketball recruit

In November, 247Sports recruiting analyst Brandon Jenkins assessed Cason Wallace’s skill set, beginning with a description of his top-shelf defense:

“One of, if not the best defender in the class. Wallace locks opponents up and controls each game with his length defensively. He keeps his man in front of him at all times, is a deflection magnet, and is one of the best transitional shot blockers in the country.”

As for how Wallace operates on the other end of the floor, Jenkins pointed out several promising qualities:

“Offensively, he is a bit mechanical but still very productive nonetheless. He is capable of putting points on the board from all three levels. He also can play on or off the ball and is similarly versatile in terms of his ability to play off a ball-screen or be an effective spot-up player on the weak-side.”

Jenkins’ overall projection for the heralded prep?

“Wallace has the long-term upside to fill a role at the highest level of the sport for multiple years.”

Unlike pretty much every other program in the country, Duke has still not delivered any offers at all to 2022 prospects.

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