The recruitment of Duke basketball target Dylan Harper became more interesting.
In a surprising twist, the recruitment of Dylan Harper has taken an intriguing turn away from the Duke basketball program following a statement made by his father, Ron Harper Sr.
Harper cut down his list earlier this year to Duke, Rutgers, Kansas, Auburn, and Indiana but many believe it is a race between the Blue Devils and Scarlet Knights to land the services of the 5-star guard.
During a conversation with Seth Davis from The Athletic, Harper Sr. shed light on the current situation regarding where his son could end up playing his college ball.
Hailing from New Jersey and starring at Don Bosco Prep (NJ), about an hour away from Rutgers, Harper had initially planned to announce his college decision shortly after the Nike EYBL Peach Jam tournament, however, he has now revised his timeline and will announce his choice sometime during the high school season.
Dylan Harper announced his final five schools are Auburn, Duke, Indiana, Kansas and Rutgers.
— The Athletic CBB (@TheAthleticCBB) July 12, 2023
His father, Ron Harper Sr., weighed in on Dylan’s recruitment with @SethDavisHoops.https://t.co/dlj2bxLjzp pic.twitter.com/HJzTl364UF
Rutgers and Duke have been at the forefront of Harper’s recruitment but Steve Pikell, the Rutgers head coach, has really put on a full-court press to try and land the No. 1 player in the Class of 2024, according to the 247Sports Composite rankings.
Duke basketball could be trailing in race for key talent
The extended timeline offers an opportunity for Jon Scheyer and his coaching staff to regain any ground they may have lost in the race for Dylan Harper’s commitment.
Interestingly, Rutgers currently has a better recruiting class than Duke at No. 2 in the country, according to 247Sports, because Pikell was able to land Ace Bailey, the No. 2 prospect in the senior class.
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The Scarlet Knights also has commitments from 3-star recruits Lathan Sommerville and Bryce Dortch.
Duke, which holds the No. 7 class in the nation, has pledges from 5-star forward Isaiah Evans and 4-star guard Darren Harris.
The outcome of this highly anticipated decision will undoubtedly be fascinating, as fans eagerly await Dylan Harper’s final decision.