Duke Basketball: Major Menace Looms in High-Profile Recruiting Race
For months, the assumption has been that if Duke basketball loses the Dylan Harper sweepstakes, it'll be due to the appeal of Rutgers. There, the Don Bosco Prep (N.J.) five-star could play close to home for a familiar coach and with his good friend, Ace Bailey, who ranks one notch below Harper at No. 3 on the 247Sports 2024 Composite.
But now, another of Harper's five finalists — Auburn, Duke, Indiana, Kansas, Rutgers — may be shaking things up for the 6-foot-5, 180-pound combo guard in the homestretch of his recruitment.
According to a Burner Ball article from incognito insider "Trilly Donovan" on Wednesday night, Kansas head coach Bill Self has ramped up his efforts of late despite all the experts previously seeing it as a two-horse race between the Blue Devils and Scarlet Knights:
"In recent days, Kansas has made a strong push to get the highly-touted prospect on campus for a visit. Kansas is already hosting Liam McNeeley, Derik Queen, and Jalil Bethea this weekend. One source indicated Bill Self is trying to get Harper to join the trio in Lawrence for a massive recruiting haul."
Of course, it's only been a few weeks since Kansas prevailed over Duke and others for Kokomo (Ind.) five-star center Flory Bidunga, No. 5 overall in the class.
After noting recent rumors that half of Harper's inner circle seems to favor the Duke basketball bluebloods while the other half hopes he'll attend Rutgers, Burner Ball explained why the Jayhawks shouldn't be counted out:
"Self is hard to bet against in these situations. He has a knack for swooping in at the last minute and reminding people that Kansas is the premier program in college basketball. Rutgers head coach Steve Pikiell is certainly hoping his efforts in this recruitment are enough to seal the deal. Harper's ties to Rutgers give him a great advantage, but NIL and the national stage are powerful opponents."
Most folks expected five-star Dylan Harper, a crafty lefty who is the son of five-time NBA champion Ron Harper Sr. and younger brother of former Rutgers star and current Toronto Raptors two-way forward Ron Harper Jr., to announce his decision in early August in light of his teases on social media.
Now, the thought is Harper's decision could pop up at any moment.
Or perhaps he reveals plans for a trip to Kansas instead. That would all but confirm Burner Ball's implication that the Jayhawks are in the process of becoming the team to beat.
Meanwhile, in commenting on the "Trilly Donovan" post on Thursday afternoon, national recruiting insider Andrew Slater pumped the brakes on the Kansas faithful's excitement: "I would bet against Bill Self on this one. Good luck."
Does this mean Slater still sees second-year Duke basketball head coach Jon Scheyer and his gang as contenders? If not, why hasn't Dylan Harper already given Rutgers fans the good news they've long been dying to hear?
Sure, the answers to those questions seem just around the corner. However, until then, it feels like anyone's guess regarding how the Dylan Harper battle ultimately plays out.
At least for now, the 2024 Duke basketball recruiting class consists of two sharpshooting wings: North Meck (N.C.) five-star Isaiah Evans and Paul VI Catholic (Va.) four-star Darren Harris.
The Blue Devils, who hosted Dylan Harper for an official visit coinciding with Countdown to Craziness last October, have also recently extended offers to a few heralded prep seniors at or near Harper's position.
RELATED: List of Every Recruit Currently Holding a Blue Devil Offer
Stay tuned to Blue Devil Country on SI.com for more Duke basketball recruiting news.