The first day of faculty basketball’s week-long Early Signing Period for the 2024 recruiting class is Wednesday, putting in place a aggravating seven days for school coaches throughout America having a look to solidify their respective rosters for the 2024-25 season and past.
Most of the tip avid gamers within the nation have already pledged their dedication to a selected faculty, however not anything is bureaucratic till their signature hits the dotted line. Cooper Flagg, who ranks No. 1 total recruit within the 2024 recruiting cycle, not too long ago dedicated to Duke. Flagg is anticipated to make his standing as a Blue Devil legitimate via signing his National Letter of Intent within the coming days.
Eight of the tip 20 avid gamers within the 247Sports 2024 Player Rankings stay uncommitted heading into the signing duration. The headliner from the gang is five-star combo guard Dylan Harper, who’s mulling gives from Duke, Indiana, Auburn, Kansas and Rutgers. While the Scarlett Knights seem to be the favourite, not anything is bureaucratic till he indicators. Harper could probably give Rutgers its best recruiting class in class historical past if he is taking his abilities to Piscataway, New Jersey.
Here are 5 storylines to regulate with the early signing duration at the horizon.
Can Duke’s 2024 class develop into the best ever?
The Blue Devils dangle the 2 best recruiting categories (2018 and 2022) within the 247Sports technology. The 2024 class has an opportunity to be higher than each of them. It all begins with Flagg, who helped Duke soar Missouri for the No. 1 spot within the 247Sports crew ratings. Duke simply landed four-star heart Patrick Ngongba closing weekend and already had commitments from five-star ahead Isaiah Evans, five-star ahead Kon Knueppel and four-star ahead Darren Harris.
If Duke is in a position to land one more high-level recruit, they are virtually assured to complete with the best rated recruiting class of all-time. The Blue Devils are these days within the combine for Harper and five-star ahead VJ Edgecombe. While Harper seems to be more of a protracted shot, they are proper within the combine of a recruiting combat with St. John’s to land Edgecombe.
Harper is the following domino to fall
Harper is the lone participant within the 2024 cycle (outdoor of Flagg) that may trade the complexion of the recruiting cycle. His choice will create a large ripple impact, particularly if he choices Rutgers. The Scarlet Knights these days sit down at No. 8 within the 247Sports crew ratings and will soar all methods to the No. 2 spot in the back of Duke in the event that they land the No. 2 total participant within the cycle.
Rutgers is striking in combination its best recruiting class in class historical past beneath trainer Steve Pikiell and have already got a dedication from five-star ahead Ace Bailey. Landing two of the tip 3 avid gamers within the class would be extraordinary territory for a Rutgers program that hasn’t had a lot recruiting good fortune within the fashionable technology.
Will Missouri dangle the No. 2 spot?
When you suppose of techniques that can sit down on the peak of the recruiting ratings on a given yr, your first concept would possibly be conventional blue-blood techniques corresponding to Duke, Kansas, Kentucky and North Carolina. Yes, Duke has the No. 1 class and it’ll be the heavy favourite to deal with that score, however Missouri is correct there within the combine to complete with the No. 2 class.
The Tigers held the tip spot up till closing week when Duke landed Flagg and Ngongba. With 5 top-100 avid gamers dedicated and Missouri within the combine for five-star heart Jayden Quaintance, trainer Dennis Gates has his program in high place heading into the early signing duration.
What program in Texas will land Tre Johnson?
How about an in-state recruiting combat for drama? Johnson, who ranks because the No. 5 total participant in his class and the top-ranked participant from the state of Texas is down to 2 faculties. Johnson will make a decision between the flagship college within the state and the Baylor Bears.
Heading into the signing duration, Johnson’s Crystal Ball from 247Sports predicts he’s going to decide to Baylor, however Texas seems to nonetheless be within the combine to land the No. 1 taking pictures guard from the 2024 cycle. Johnson has ties to each techniques. His father, Richard Johnson Jr., performed for Baylor and one of the coaches at the personnel on the time used to be … you guessed it, Texas trainer Rodney Terry. No power, child.
Minimal flipping excepted
The signing duration at all times gives fireworks as a result of flipping has develop into a not unusual apply within the recruiting international. Because of that, coaches cannot chill out till their respective recruit(s) signal. There are a handful of names that could be “flip” applicants, however the drama ranges seem to be low heading right into a important week at the faculty basketball calendar. There have been rumblings that Evans, who dedicated to Duke this previous spring, could be a candidate to modify his thoughts. He put the ones rumors to leisure on his social media main as much as the signing duration.
Another participant that could be a possible candidate to modify his dedication is Ian Jackson. The five-star guard dedicated to North Carolina in January and there have been rumors he could turn his dedication to St. John’s largely because of the hiring of mythical trainer Rick Pitino. Jackson not too long ago took some other consult with to North Carolina, so apparently that Hubert Davis and his personnel can breathe a sigh of aid for now.
Five-star heart Derik Queen is some other peak prospect this is anticipated to announce his dedication someday all through the early signing duration. The No. 12 total participant within the cycle is mulling between Houston, Indiana, Maryland and Kansas. He these days holds a crystal ball projection to Maryland, which might be a large win for Kevin Willard and his personnel after signing the No. 20 total class closing yr.