Duke basketball staff battling UNC for versatile power forward

Duke and UNC are hosting a stretch forward this week.

Duke basketball recruiting target TJ Power (Christine Peterson-USA TODAY Sports)

According to On3 national recruiting insider Joe Tipton, the Duke basketball coaches and their UNC counterparts will welcome Worcester Academy (Mass.) power forward TJ Power to their campuses this week.

The Tar Heels get the first crack at impressing Power on Monday. Then the 6-foot-8, 210-pound versatile four-star plans to travel eight miles down Tobacco Road to check out the Blue Devils on Tuesday.

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Sure, both trips seem brief. However, per Tipton, they are of the official-visit variety.

Both rivals officially entered the mix for Power with their offers less than two weeks ago.

Power, who has climbed 17 spots since May to No. 63 on the 247Sports 2023 Composite, has also picked up offers from Kansas and UCLA this month. In other words, his stock is clearly on the rise right now.

A scouting report on Duke basketball recruiting target TJ Power

In addition to his growing prowess on the basketball court, TJ Power is a standout pitcher on the baseball diamond, reportedly throwing over 90 miles per hour with regularity. The rising high school senior has expressed interest in potentially playing both sports at the college level.

As for Power's skills on the hardwood, Jamie Shaw of On3 provided the following assessment:

"TJ Power has a toughness about him. At 6-foot-8, that is one of the first things you notice in his game. As the game progresses, you see the full skill set. He is an excellent passer, able to initiate off the rebound or line up across multiple areas on the floor and make plays."

Shaw continued:

"The footspeed will be a question, but he understands angles and help defense. We would like to see Power more aggressively look to score at times, but his ability to fill a stat sheet makes everyone on the floor better."

A fan of Duke basketball and another ACC program growing up

After receiving his Duke basketball offer, TJ Power pointed out two of his childhood fandoms to Joe Tipton but noted that alone wouldn't determine his landing spot after high school:

"Growing up, I really liked Duke, and I really like UVA. Those were the teams I would watch all the time. But now, I have to make the best decision for me. And I won't be swayed by what I kind of idolized as a kid, even though it can be a really cool thing sometimes. I want to put myself in the right spot."

Virginia joined the Power sweepstakes with an offer in late May.

He told Tipton that he is now eyeing the fall for his decision.

Meanwhile, first-year Blue Devil head coach Jon Scheyer and his gang already rank No. 1 overall on the 247Sports 2023 Team Rankings. Their four commits to date are five-star point guard Caleb Foster, five-star shooting guard Jared McCain, five-star small forward Mackenzie Mgbako, and five-star power forward Sean Stewart.

Stay tuned to Blue Devil Country for more Duke basketball recruiting updates.