TheCatsDomain.Com Message Boards: Top UK basketball recruiting links: Is Duke losing its grip on the No. 1 class?

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Posted by catmandoo (Member # 1284) on 10-12-2021, 01:21 PM:

Duke's path to the No. 1 basketball recruiting class in the 2022 cycle might be getting a little murky.

The Blue Devils currently occupy the top spot, according to the 247Sports composite rankings, following early commitments from five-star players Dereck Lively II, Dariq Whitehead and Kyle Filipowski, along with four-star prospect Jaden Schutt. When Duke passed Kentucky for the top ranking, it looked like the Blue Devils were in good shape for both five-star forward Mark Mitchell and four-star guard JJ Starling, a combo that would have all but clinched the No. 1 class. That might no longer be the case.

In the past couple of days, 24Sports analyst Dushawn London has logged a pro-UCLA Crystal Ball pick for Mitchell, while 247Sports analyst Travis Branham has put in a pro-Notre Dame prediction for Starling, who will announce his college decision Tuesday. If Duke had landed both Mitchell and Starling, UK couldn't have passed the Blue Devils for the No. 1 spot even with commitments from Adem Bona and Cason Wallace, the Cats' top two remaining targets.

Kentucky remains the favorite in Wallace's recruitment, and Bona is viewed as a UK-UCLA battle. If the Cats can land both players — and Duke lands only one (or none) of its top two remaining targets — the No. 1 ranking would go to Kentucky.

Obviously, both programs will have elite recruiting classes in 2022, but this will be a fun battle to follow into the fall.

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