College Basketball
Time To Panic?
No. Not yet, anyway. There is still a large pool of talented, top-notch players in the class of 2019. The following five-star names are players Duke is heavily recruiting: Vernon Carey, Cole Anthony, and Wendell Moore. All three of these names are predicted to choose Duke, but as we have learned, crystal ball predictions do not mean all that much. Although it is alarming, Duke still has options in the 2019 recruiting class.
The Loss of Jeff Capel
Jeff Capel, former Associate Head Coach with Duke basketball, moved on to a head coaching role with Pittsburgh. In losing Capel, Duke loses far more than just their number one assistant coach. They lose their best recruiter from 2011-2018. He is well regarded around the Nation as the best player recruiter. He was the primary recruiter of many of Duke’s top one-and-done players, including Justice Winslow, Brandon Ingram, and Harry Giles. Losing Capel is already showing, as Duke has missed out on multiple five-star players in the 2019 class. Bryan Antoine, Nicco Mannion, and Josiah James were all at one point predicted to commit to Duke. After the departure of Capel, all three began to look elsewhere.
What Happens If Duke Loses Other Top Recruits?
If the unthinkable happens and Duke is unable to land a single five-star player, the only choice they will have is to recruit three and four-star players. A move to four-year player territory could benefit Duke in the long run. Take Villanova and North Carolina as an example they built up a combined 3 titles using the four-year player method.
Stop Freaking Out
Look, Duke fans, you need to stop freaking out about the lack of 2019 commits. It is unusual for a school such as Duke to struggle to land recruits, but the fact of the matter is, every single school will go through a slump. Duke will likely pick up two five stars in the 2019 class in Vernon Carey and Cole Anthony, plus a potential third in Wendell Moore. Just because they missed on multiple recruits in a row, does not mean it will continue.
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