Duke basketball recruiting: Vernon Carey headlines nation’s No. 1 class

Duke is bringing in the nation’s top-ranked recruiting class for a second consecutive year as Mike Krzyzewski embraces the one-and-done era.

Duke head coach Mike Krzyzewski (Coach K) does not publicly call his program a “one-and-done” kind of establishment, but recent history would beg otherwise (11 freshman draft picks in the last five NBA Drafts). Roster retention is limited for schools like Duke, and the major programs respond by collecting another decorated and sizable recruiting class for the following season.

The Blue Devils are in a unique position, however heading into the 2019-2020 season. Tre Jones elected to return to school for his sophomore year, arguably giving Duke the second-best point guard in the nation right behind Michigan State senior Cassius Winston. Jones is without question an elite defender and extremely capable ball-handler and passer. Jones shooting woes are well documented, but his return gives Duke a leg up on the competition with a now veteran leader who also serves as their floor general.

It should also be noted that senior Jack White and sophomore Joey Baker are also returning, and they will provide size and perimeter shooting. Forward/Center’s Marques Bolden and Javin DeLaurier are still exploring their professional options, however, the return of one, or both will give Duke another valuable role player.

Five heralded freshmen will be arriving in Durham, NC, this summer, and the skillset of this incoming class provides insight into how the Blue Devils will want to play next season.

Duke has 2019’s highest rating recruiting class according to the 247Sports Composite Ranking. All five commits are ranked in the top-35 of their class. Below we will give a brief scouting report on the incoming freshman and discuss what this means for Duke. The number in parenthesis next to a player’s name is indicative of their class rank according to 247Sports.

• Vernon Carey (4) – A physical force at 6’10” and 275 pounds while possessing the agility and quality footwork. Carey has a simple, yet effective post game and has constantly been working on his perimeter shooting. Will be a strong player defensively. Should benefit immensely with a bonafide strength and conditioning program to stay in shape. Has the potential to have a dominant freshman season
• Matthew Hurt (8) – Modern day stretch forward whose game is predicated on perimeter play. Poised to be one of the better freshman three-point shooters in the country. Possess good touch and handle. Frame not filled out and will have the inevitable struggles with present lack of strength. Can have great inside-outside potential with Carey.
• Wendell Moore (23) – Plus wingspan makes up for positional height on the lower end. Will be a defensive swiss-army-knife right away. Can attack the basket on drives, shooting still a work in progress. Will be a legitimate option in transition.
• Cassius Stanley (29) – Elite athlete, easily one of the best in his entire class. Tremendous potential in the open floor on both ends. Will compliment Tre Jones as a perimeter defender. Shooting improving and handling needs to improve as well to reach secondary ball-handler status.
• Boogie Ellis (32) – True combo guard who can absolutely shoot the ball. Can score on or off-ball. Great ball handler. Average size and will need to add strength like most freshman. Solid on-ball defender but will likely be targeted due to his frame.

What the incoming class means for Duke in 2019-2020

Duke will most certainly look different on the court next season. The Zion Williamson/RJ Barrett/Cam Reddish Duke squad had such elite athletes that Coach K ran the most basic offensive system of his coaching career; isolation and transition attacks in space were emphasized at a premium to maximize the star freshman’s strengths.

2019-2020’s version of the Blue Devils will not have any isolation players as good as Williamson and Barrett, which is not, and should not be surprising. Expect a more team-oriented approach and a higher frequency of off-ball actions (movement and screens) to create advantages on the offensive end. Carey will definitely have his post touches but I fully expect him to stay in motion on offense so that his shooting and floor-spacing can be utilized.

Carey can have an exceptional freshman year if his 15-20 foot jumper is effective, defenses would have to honor his shooting while also accounting for potential playmaking opportunities for his teammates. Defensively, expect to see more variations in ball-screen defense as the yearly decrease in overall athleticism will not allow for switching to be as prominent as it was this most recent year.

There will definitely be some growing pains next season for Coach K with such a tremendous amount of roster turnover. However, the versatility of his prized freshman class will allow next season’s Blue Devils to play in a creative and versatile system that can evolve on an opponent-to-opponent basis.