2021 Men's Basketball Recruiting Thread

[jaywilliams22]

Rivals announced that it updated its Top 150 for the Class of 2021, although I don't see much movement among the players. Here are the players Duke has offered or are scouting:

1. Jonathan Kuminga, 6'8" F
2. Patrick Baldwin, 6'9" F
3. Paolo Banchero, 6'9" F
7. AJ Griffin, 6'6" F - Committed
10. Kennedy Chandler, 6'0" PG
14. Trevor Keels, 6'5" SG
17. Max Christie, 6'5" SG
22. Charles Bediako, 6'10" C

It seems Keels has jumped Christie, is that correct?

[bullettoothtony]

So I hear we're good with Baldwin. Based on what I've read it seems like we're trending our recruiting efforts towards Keels over Christie... no idea if that's true or not. Chandler info is all over the place... no idea there. Banchero least likely of the group but we do have a chance.

Anyone have any updates? May not be much out there given the circumstances.

[kAzE]

Based on what I've read it seems like we're trending our recruiting efforts towards Keels over Christie... no idea if that's true or not. .

It seems Keels has jumped Christie, is that correct?

We would have a pretty solid recruiting head start with Keels, if his current (or I guess former, now) teammate at Paul VI, Jeremy Roach, sticks around for a 2nd year at Duke.

FWIW, Christie (12) is still ranked ahead of Keels (17) on 247.

[JasonEvans]

1. Jonathan Kuminga, 6'8" F
2. Patrick Baldwin, 6'9" F
3. Paolo Banchero, 6'9" F
7. AJ Griffin, 6'6" F - Committed
10. Kennedy Chandler, 6'0" PG
14. Trevor Keels, 6'5" SG
17. Max Christie, 6'5" SG
22. Charles Bediako, 6'10" C

What size class do people think we are gunning for? There are 8 names there.

We have a 6-man class this year and only one of them seems to be a likely OAD. I suspect 1 or 2 more will have decisions to make about OAD (much like Stanley, Hurt, and Moore did this year), but I would imagine that when thinks are all said and done at least 3 of the incoming freshmen are pretty certain to come back and it could be as many as 5. Plus, I would say that none of Hurt, Baker, or Moore are certain to leave after next season (though all three of them could if things fall the right way).

To me, the bottom line is that I would expect at least 4 or 5 rotation players to come back after this coming season. So, again, how many players do folks think we want out of the 2021 class? 4 or 5 seems like the appropriate number to me.

[gam7]

What size class do people think we are gunning for? There are 8 names there.

We have a 6-man class this year and only one of them seems to be a likely OAD. I suspect 1 or 2 more will have decisions to make about OAD (much like Stanley, Hurt, and Moore did this year), but I would imagine that when thinks are all said and done at least 3 of the incoming freshmen are pretty certain to come back and it could be as many as 5. Plus, I would say that none of Hurt, Baker, or Moore are certain to leave after next season (though all three of them could if things fall the right way).

To me, the bottom line is that I would expect at least 4 or 5 rotation players to come back after this coming season. So, again, how many players do folks think we want out of the 2021 class? 4 or 5 seems like the appropriate number to me.

I think we'll see four from this list, plus a late bloomer who most of us have never heard of yet. Speaking of late bloomers, without the summer events, there are not too many great opportunities for late bloomers to show their stuff against the top competition. Some mid-majors are going to end up with some recruits that are absolute steals.

[superdave]

What size class do people think we are gunning for? There are 8 names there.

We have a 6-man class this year and only one of them seems to be a likely OAD. I suspect 1 or 2 more will have decisions to make about OAD (much like Stanley, Hurt, and Moore did this year), but I would imagine that when thinks are all said and done at least 3 of the incoming freshmen are pretty certain to come back and it could be as many as 5. Plus, I would say that none of Hurt, Baker, or Moore are certain to leave after next season (though all three of them could if things fall the right way).

To me, the bottom line is that I would expect at least 4 or 5 rotation players to come back after this coming season. So, again, how many players do folks think we want out of the 2021 class? 4 or 5 seems like the appropriate number to me.

We have been kicking around the idea that Coach K will transition away from OAD to create more roster continuity for his eventual successor.

Class of 2020 may be that first step.

I do like the idea of pairing a OAD player with a 4-year player, similar to pairing Kyrie Irving with Tyler Thornton.

Has this been at all part of the strategy lately? Or just an idea we're message boarding about?

[BD80]

What size class do people think we are gunning for? There are 8 names there.

...

Seven's the number …

[DavidBenAkiva]

What size class do people think we are gunning for? There are 8 names there.

We have a 6-man class this year and only one of them seems to be a likely OAD. I suspect 1 or 2 more will have decisions to make about OAD (much like Stanley, Hurt, and Moore did this year), but I would imagine that when thinks are all said and done at least 3 of the incoming freshmen are pretty certain to come back and it could be as many as 5. Plus, I would say that none of Hurt, Baker, or Moore are certain to leave after next season (though all three of them could if things fall the right way).

To me, the bottom line is that I would expect at least 4 or 5 rotation players to come back after this coming season. So, again, how many players do folks think we want out of the 2021 class? 4 or 5 seems like the appropriate number to me.

I think of tiers of players. Here are the tiers I see, with some wiggle room in the middle.

Definitely gone: Jordan Goldwire, Patrick Tape, Jalen Johnson
Maybe gone: Wendell Moore, Matthew Hurt, Jeremy Roach, DJ Steward
Probably returning: Joey Baker, Jaemyn Brakefield, Mark Williams (could be maybe gone)
Definitely returning: Henry Coleman

From this, I would say we could expect that half of the maybe gone group will leave and as many as one of the probably returning group. This is a guess. That leaves 5 returning players for the 2021-22 season. That's a solid number historically when you compare it to the past decade. If Duke has 5 or even 6 returning players, they'll need a big recruiting class for 2021 to fill out the roster.

My guess is that we're going to see a 6-man recruiting class that will feature AJ Griffin, Patrick Baldwin, one of Max Chrisitie/Trevor Keels, two big men, and another guard. Gun to my head, the class to me ends up looking like this:

PG: Kennedy Chandler
SG: Trevor Keels
SF: AJ Griffin
PF: Patrkc Baldwin
PF/C: Paolo Banchero
C: Enoch Boakye

As far as returning players, there will be Joey Baker, DJ Steward, Mark Williams, Jaemyn Brakefield, and Henry Coleman.

That team is good. Very good.

[English]

We have been kicking around the idea that Coach K will transition away from OAD to create more roster continuity for his eventual successor.

Class of 2020 may be that first step.

I do like the idea of pairing a OAD player with a 4-year player, similar to pairing Kyrie Irving with Tyler Thornton.

Has this been at all part of the strategy lately? Or just an idea we're message boarding about?

The “our recruiting strategy is changing” narrative is mostly a myth based on the offers we’ve put out year over year, including the classes 2019 and 2020. I did a breakdown in some thread, but just because we didn’t get the top 3 commits in the class like RJ, Zion, and CamFam doesn’t mean we didn’t offer half the top-10. Maybe the winds are changing with the number of kids we get in the 20-40 range, as opposed to the 1-19 range, but I suspect that’s just a function of college recruiting classes.

[Jaks19]

There is a lot to be said about recruiting in general in how players "might" want to stay closer to home and then add in the G League option.

[budwom]

The “our recruiting strategy is changing” narrative is mostly a myth based on the offers we’ve put out year over year, including the classes 2019 and 2020. I did a breakdown in some thread, but just because we didn’t get the top 3 commits in the class like RJ, Zion, and CamFam doesn’t mean we didn’t offer half the top-10. Maybe the winds are changing with the number of kids we get in the 20-40 range, as opposed to the 1-19 range, but I suspect that’s just a function of college recruiting classes.

Indeed, K is going to go after the best kids he can get, as long as they're a decent fit for Duke...to suggest otherwise would be Chapelhillian, i.e. "we don't want those OAD guys." Not getting the top guys is not the same as not wanting them.

[yancem]

Indeed, K is going to go after the best kids he can get, as long as they're a decent fit for Duke...to suggest otherwise would be Chapelhillian, i.e. "we don't want those OAD guys." Not getting the top guys is not the same as not wanting them.

The bolded part is key and I think often overlooked. Sometimes the top players are a good fit and sometimes they are not (too many handlers, academics issues, personality, style of play etc.). As fans, it's easy to say we should go after this guy because he is a stud but recruiting is so much more complex than that. Some players get along better with other players, some want too much spotlight, some want to stay closer to home, some grew up big fans of X school and some simply don't click with certain coaches. That's what makes it hard to look at one class and try to decern a trend. 2019 we didn't target as many top 10 guys but in 2020 we are hard after half of them. I would hate to be a college coach. The stress of trying to piece together recruiting classes and massage egos has got to be stressful as hell.

[DavidBenAkiva]

Rivals announced that it updated its Top 150 for the Class of 2021, although I don't see much movement among the players. Here are the players Duke has offered or are scouting:

1. Jonathan Kuminga, 6'8" F
2. Patrick Baldwin, 6'9" F
3. Paolo Banchero, 6'9" F
7. AJ Griffin, 6'6" F - Committed
10. Kennedy Chandler, 6'0" PG
14. Trevor Keels, 6'5" SG
17. Max Christie, 6'5" SG
22. Charles Bediako, 6'10" C

Following the lead of Rivals and others, ESPN has updated its rankings for the Class of 2021. At the very top, Jonathan Kuminga has officially moved to the Class of 2020. Here are their rankings of the top 10 and Duke targets:

1. Chet Holmgren
2. Patrick Baldwin
3. Paolo Banchero
4. Jaden Hardey
5. Jabari Smith,
6. Michael Foster
7. Mousa Diabate
8. Nate Bittle
9. AJ Griffin - Committed
10. Aminu Mohammed
11. Kennedy Chandler
12. Max Christie
14. Trevor Keels
25. Charles Bediako

[BlueDevilStop]

Time to open a new thread! Duke has extended it's first offer to a member of the Class of 2021.

Patrick Baldwin, Jr., is a 6'8" forward from Sussex, Wisconsin. He has recently ranked among the highest members of his recruiting class with ESPN giving him the early slot for #1 recruit in his class of rising sophomore. Baldwin has size, shooting, athleticism, passing, quickness, and all the other traits you would want out of a forward. If he fills out his growing frame, he could be a modern stretch 4 or operate as a facilitator and scorer from the wings. The kid has the full package and could develop into an exceptional talent.

He is unbelievably talented. He could become a Duke legend.

[jaywilliams22]

Following the lead of Rivals and others, ESPN has updated its rankings for the Class of 2021. At the very top, Jonathan Kuminga has officially moved to the Class of 2020. Here are their rankings of the top 10 and Duke targets:

1. Chet Holmgren
2. Patrick Baldwin
3. Paolo Banchero
4. Jaden Hardey
5. Jabari Smith,
6. Michael Foster
7. Mousa Diabate
8. Nate Bittle
9. AJ Griffin - Committed
10. Aminu Mohammed
11. Kennedy Chandler
12. Max Christie
14. Trevor Keels
25. Charles Bediako

Nattle Bittle ahead of AJ Griffin is laughable. The only prospect that I see any better than Griffin is Pat Baldwin...

[BlueDevilStop]

I truly believe Baldwin is the best player in the class.

[CrazyNotCrazie]

I truly believe Baldwin is the best player in the class.

Based on? Not saying you are wrong, but it is usually encouraged to back things up here. Have you seen him play? Have you seen other top recruits play? Do you have experience evaluating HS basketball recruits? What are his best attributes? Are you related to him?

[-jk]

Based on? Not saying you are wrong, but it is usually encouraged to back things up here. Have you seen him play? Have you seen other top recruits play? Do you have experience evaluating HS basketball recruits? What are his best attributes? Are you related to him?

Easy, there! Let's not scare away the new folks.

You could have stopped at your first period - it's a valid point.

-jk

[scottdude8]

So I haven't seen any solid reporting on Andrew Nembhard's transfer beyond the fact that he's supposedly considering Duke and would (baring something unusual) be a sit-out transfer. If we are indeed seriously in on him, how would that influence the 2021 class? I imagine we might cool off on Chandler and perhaps try to find another Jordan Goldwire-esque multi-year option at PG? Or would Chandler be a far superior option to Nembhard, or someone who could play alongside him?

[1991 duke law]

I truly believe Baldwin is the best player in the class.

I am no expert but in my opinion I think that you are correct.