Duke basketball: Ranking the 5 finalists for JJ Starling
By Matt Giles
3. Northwestern
Entering his ninth season at the helm for Northwestern, former Duke basketball player and assistant Chris Collins has overseen a relatively strong start on the 2022 recruiting trail. He and his staff recently snagged a commitment from a four-star guard, Rowan Brumbaugh, who ranks No. 86 overall on the 247Sports 2022 Composite.
But because JJ Starling fits a similar mold to Brumbaugh, one must wonder if Collins — once a midsized guard himself — will be able to convince Starling to hop on board with the Wildcats as well.
Furthermore, Collins doesn’t exactly scream job security at the moment with four consecutive losing seasons to his name.
On the other hand, Starling has marked his calendar for a return trip to Northwestern on Sept. 17. And during his chat with Joe Tipton, he sounded as if he genuinely appreciates the picturesque environment in Evanston, Ill., in addition to the university’s lofty academic reputation:
“I actually went to Northwestern on an unofficial this summer. I really liked the campus. It’s beautiful. They have a great group of guys. The schools in my top five want more than basketball. That’s the biggest thing.”