Category Archives: Recruiting

2015 combo guard Austin Grandstaff talks Duke and his game

HAMPTON, Va—A Rockwall, Tex. product, Austin Grandstaff promises to see his recruitment pick up as he runs with Team Texas Elite on the Nike EYBL circuit this spring and summer. The class of 2015 standout has drawn moderate interest from the Duke coaching staff over the course of his prep career so far. The 6-foot-5 combo guard took some time Saturday morning during the second session of the EYBL at Hampton, Va. to discuss his game and the current state of his recruitment.

2015 recruit Austin Grandstaff at the Nike EYBL in Hampton, Va. (Photo Credit: Brady Buck/The Chronicle)

2015 recruit Austin Grandstaff at the Nike EYBL in Hampton, Va. (Photo Credit: Brady Buck/The Chronicle)

Question: You are a versatile guard that can shoot and distribute. What kind of role do you envision yourself in at the next level?

Answer: A combo guard that can play the one and the two. I’d like to become more of a true point guard that’s something I’m working on right now.

Q: I understand that you bounced around high schools this past year. Can you just walk me through where you were and where you intend to play the rest of your high school career?

A: I was at Rockwall to start and then I went to Huntington Prep. Then I went back and went to Plano West (Texas). I’m going to be at Rockwall next year and finish up my high school career there.

Q: You are midway through the second tournament of the Nike EYBL. How would you assess your performance on the circuit so far?

A: The first session [in Los Angeles] I did not play very well. I played well in the last game. These last two games I’ve played really well. And I hope to keep playing well for my team and keep getting wins.

Q: Do you feel any added pressure since you are about to be an upperclassmen, see the recruitment process pick up and garner more attention from head coaches at these events?

A: Yeah, definitely. Seeing those faces in the crowd like Calipari or Coach K or Coach Pitino, I’ve been watching them since I was a little kid. And it’s pretty cool to see them here watching my games.

Q: Who has offered you a scholarship so far?

A: Oklahoma State, Oklahoma, UMass, Texas A&M and Marquette.

Q: How would you characterize Duke’s interest in you?

A: It’s kind of just average really. I think they are waiting to see what kind of a summer I have. Just not much right now.

Q: What are your thoughts on the Duke program?

A: I mean it’s obviously a good program. It’s probably the best in the country.

Q: How frequently are you communicating with the Duke coaching staff?

A: I talked to one of them last week. I talked to Wojo last week and that’s the last time I’ve talked to them.

Q: Has the Duke coaching staff ever discussed the possibility of a offering a scholarship yet?

A: No, not yet.

Q: What does your schedule look like for visits this summer?

A: After the EYBL, I’m going to go to local schools and take visits, but right now I don’t have anything planned.

Q: I know it’s still early for you, but have you given any thought to the timetable of your recruitment process?

A: I don’t really have one at this point. It’ll all pan out.

Q: And what do you really think you need to improve on this summer?

A: Quicker ball handling. Just getting bigger, faster stronger and keep working on my shot.

Justise Winslow feels like a priority for the Duke coaching staff

HAMPTON, Va.—Holding a Duke scholarship offer, 2014 swingman Justise Winslow is a coveted prospect. The 6-foot-6 wing unofficially visited Duke when it played host to Miami. Blue Devil head coach Mike Krzyzewski recently conducted an in-home visit with Winslow, and Krzyzewski watched every single one of Winslow’s games in Hampton, Va. during the second session of the Nike EYBL. The Houston native took some time this weekend to discuss where things are at in his closely tracked recruitment.

Question: Arizona gets a lot of press as the speculated frontrunner in your recruitment. Can you just touch on that program and your view on them?

Answer: I have a great relationship with Coach Miller and Coach Pasternack. That’s a really big thing and just starting something new: taking Coach Miller to his first Final Four. He thinks I can be a big key in getting him there. That’s big in my recruitment.

Elite wing player Justise Winslow at the Nike EYBL in Hampton, Va. (Photo Credit: Brady Buck/The Chronicle)

Elite wing player Justise Winslow at the Nike EYBL in Hampton, Va. (Photo Credit: Brady Buck/The Chronicle)

Q: What’s your timeline for official visits?

A: I’m not sure if I’m going to take all of my official visits. I’ve visited all of the schools already unofficially, but if I haven’t decided by the fall then I’ll probably take my official visits. I’m going to try and commit as soon as possible. If I’m going to say, “No,” the coaches want me to tell them as soon as possible.

Q: Do you have any sort of timeline for a decision?

A: Hopefully by like August, but it probably won’t be until November.

Q: How do you view the schools on your list? Are there some leaders?

A: There are some leaders, but I wouldn’t say that any team is too far ahead of another school. I’m looking to cut down soon. I’d say it’s pretty fair right now.

Q: Can you touch on the potential package deal of you, Okafor and Jones? Okafor and Jones are pretty set on attending the same school.

A: It’s definitely something we talk about. I would say 90 percent that them two are going to the same school together and we’ve talked about me joining them. But, we all three have to do what’s best for us.

Q: Do you feel like your Duke’s No. 1 priority on the wing for the class of 2014?

A: Definitely. That’s what they make it seem like. They are at all of the games. They are constantly texting me, calling me and telling me how much they want me. So that’s a good thing.

Q: What’s your outlook on Duke’s roster as it pertains to the wings with Rodney Hood, Jabari Parker and others? Does those two staying at Duke after this year factor into your decision much?

A: Yeah, it definitely factors in, but you know I just have to do what is best for me. I have to try and predict the future to see if they are going to leave or not. If I do decide to go to Duke and I’m behind them, then that’s only going to make me better playing with Jabari Parker and Rodney Hood. You know they are really going to get me better in practice everyday.

Q: Current Duke guard Rasheed Sulaimon played for the Houston Hoops AAU team and is a Houston guy. Can you talk about your relationship with him and whether he is recruiting you to Duke?

A: Me and Rasheed, we go way back working out together in Houston and playing for the Houston Jaguars six or seven years ago. So, Rasheed and I have a tight bond before he was even considering Duke. Now that he’s at Duke, of course he wants me to go there. So, we text probably about once a week, but you know sometimes it’s not recruiting. It’s how’s Houston, how’s your season going, how’s school and things like that. I’d say we are good friends and he wants me to go there.

Q: How big of a factor is distance as you go about making your college decision?

A: Going away from home is no big deal, but it definitely helps if a school is close. So if I happen to go to a school like UCLA or Duke that is far on the coast, it wouldn’t be a bad thing at all. If I could go to a school like Texas A&M that’d be a great thing because College Station is like an hour away from my house.

Tyus Jones would be comfortable playing with Quinn Cook at Duke

HAMPTON, Va.—Arguably the Duke coaching staff’s top priority in the recruiting class of 2014, Tyus Jones is the No. 1 point guard in the class. The Minnesota native has a list of seven schools at the moment. Over the weekend, each of those schools closely tracked the 6-foot-1 floor general during the live evaluation period at the Hampton Nike EYBL tournament. Jones spoke about his recruitment over the weekend with The Chronicle.

Question: What does your list of prospective schools look like at this point?

Top-ranked point guard Tyus Jones at the Nike EYBL in Hampton, Va. (Photo Credit: Brady Buck/The Chronicle)

Top-ranked point guard Tyus Jones at the Nike EYBL in Hampton, Va. (Photo Credit: Brady Buck/The Chronicle)

A: Baylor, Duke, Kentucky, Kansas, Minnesota, Michigan State and Ohio State.

Q: What are you looking for in a school and program?

A: I’m looking at a lot of things. You have to look at the education piece, the other recruits they are bringing in with you, the style of play and how the coaching staff has relationships with players on and off the court.

Q: What kind of style of play is most appealing to you?

A: Up and down, more of motion. Just a style where you can really play basketball.

Q: Over the course of this summer, what do you think you can improve upon the most?

A: Overall speed and strength. You can never be too fast, too quick or too strong. So, you just want to keep improving.

Q: How do you handle the fact that there is a handful of A-list head coaches in attendance for every single one of your games?

A: You really got to just pay no attention. They are here to watch, so you have to be really focused on the game. You just have to play your game and stick to your strengths.

Q: Who have you had in-home visits recently?

A: Duke, Baylor, Ohio State, Kansas and Michigan State have all been in for in-home visits.

Q: What exactly was Coach K’s message to you during the in-home visit?

A: We were just really talking about how he feels I can fit into their system and what they can bring to the table for myself not only as a player but also a person. So it was really just good visits all around with all of the schools. Nothing too uptight or stressful.

Q: Did your outlook on any of his schools change in light of the in-home visits?

A: Nothing too major good or bad. Like I said, it was really just going back and forth with the coaches. I have good relationships with all of the coaching staffs. It was really just a stress-free thing and I enjoyed it.

Q: Duke is going to have Quinn Cook on the roster when you would be a freshman. Has the coaching staff talked to you about it? Does that dynamic have any sort of any sort of impact as you look at Duke:

A: They have talked to me about it. Every college is going to have a point guard on the roster and any college is going to have players at your position. So, it’s something you look at, but like I said every college has that situation.

Q: So, you would you be comfortable playing with Quinn Cook at the next level?

A: Yeah, I would. He’d be a senior, a veteran, a guy that you can learn from. Like I said, every college has players at every position.

Q: Are you and top-ranked 2014 center Jahlil Okafor still planning on attending the same school?

A: Yes sir.

Q: Have the two of you discussed any more about where you want to go recently?

A: Yeah we have talked a little bit about it.

Q: Do you plan on playing with the Team USA 19U team this summer?

A: Most likely.

Top big man Jahlil Okafor still set on attending the same school as Tyus Jones

HAMPTON, Va.—He might not have been playing due to an ankle injury, but Jahlil Okafor—the No. 1 overall player in the class of 2014—could not escape the attention of the media during the second session of the Nike EYBL. Duke basketball head coach Mike Krzyzewski, along with associate head coach Steve Wojciechowski were in attendance to watch many of the top prospects in the country.

Serious about attending the same school as close friend and top-ranked point guard Tyus Jones, Okafor shed some light on the current happenings in his recruitment.

Jahlil Okafor, the No. 1 player in the class of 2014. (Photo Credit: Brady Buck/The Chronicle)

Jahlil Okafor, the No. 1 player in the class of 2014. (Photo Credit: Brady Buck/The Chronicle)

Question: What exactly is your injury? Did you try to play on it?

Answer: It’s just a sprained ankle. It’s not that bad. I tried to play yesterday, but it felt real tight and tender. So, my coach had me sit out.

Q: You and Tyus jones have remained committed to attending the same school. What about him makes you want to play with him?

A: He’s my best friend even without basketball. He’s a point guard, pass-first, and he can score. He makes the game a lot easier.

Q: What schools have come in for in-home visits with you recently?

A: Kansas, Duke, Baylor, Ohio State, Michigan State, and I think that was it.

Q: Can you talk about the Duke in-home visit and what Coach K had to say and the sales pitch he gave you?

A: They are selling Duke as a program besides baskeball. You know the academics and how many great people are there outside of basketball. I might be rooming with like a billionaire that will make way more money than I ever will playing basketball. Things like that.

Q: Does that sales pitch of academics resonate with you?

A: Yeah, definetly. I want to meet other people and I think Duke is a perfect place for that.

Q: Has your opinion or outlook on schools has changed at all after doing several in-home visits with head coaches?

A: No, not really. I have pretty much talked to each school since my freshman year. I guess Kansas. That was my first time talking to Bill Self, and he left a really good impression.

Q: Do you plan on playing for the Team USA 19U squad this summer?

A: I talked to Coach K about that. I think I will.

Q: Is Jabari Parker going to play on the U.S. 19U team this summer?

A: I don’t think he is. I think he’s going to go straight to college to get healthy and get in shape.

Q: What’s your timeline looking like for official visits and will you take all five?

A: I’m going to definitely take all five of my official visits.

Q: Do you intend to cut down your list of suitors anytime soon?

A: Yeah, very soon.

Duke basketball coaches watch numerous recruits during the first live April evaluation period

The Duke basketball recruiting frenzy is back in full swing.

Following the team’s banquet Friday night in Durham, the Blue Devil coaching staff hit the road recruiting for the first live April evaluation period.

The first session of the Nike EYBL in Los Angeles had the largest contingent of Duke prospects.

Here is a breakdown by class of the players that head coach Mike Krzyzewski and his staff saw over the weekend along with their statistics across the four games played in Los Angeles.

2014 point guard Tyus Jones, Howard Pulley Panthers (offered): 20 points, eight assists and three rebounds per game.

2014 center Jahlil Okafor, Mac Irvin Fire (offered): Did not play with due to an ankle sprain.

2014 wing Justise Winslow, Houston Hoops (offered): 14.5 points, 6.8 rebounds, 4.3 assists and 2.3 steals.

2014 forward Trey Lyles, Spiece Indy Heat (offered): Did not play

2014 combo guard Grayson Allen of the Southern Stampede (offered): 9.7 points, 2.7 rebounds and 2.3 assists per game.

2014 wing Theo Pinson, CP3 All Stars (offered): 12.3 points, 1.5 assists and 6.5 rebounds per game.

2015 center Elijah Thomas, Team Texas (no offer): 16.5 points, 1.8 rebounds and 2 assists per game.

Away from Southern California, the Blue Devil coaching staff closely tracked two coveted prospects from Wisconsin: Kevin Looney (2014) and Diamond Stone, who is the No. 1 player in the class of 2015.

Krzyzewski will be in Milwaukee Wednesday to conduct an in-home visit with Looney, who is a versatile 6-foot-7 forward and is ESPN’s No. 7 overall player in the class of 2014.

Duke is among a host of schools to make contact with Rutgers transfer Eli Carter, according to Adam Zagoria. Carter is a 6-foot-2 guard that averaged 14.9 points, 2.8 rebounds and 2.1 assists per game before sustaining a season-ending injury in February.

Class of 2013 commit Jabari Parker capped off his brilliant prep career last Saturday night at the Nike Hoops Summit in Portland, Ore. The 6-foot-8 hybrid forward finished with a team-high 22 points in a losing effort to the World team.

Here are some highlights of the game:

Class of 2016 standout forward Harry Giles—a talented 6-foot-9 North Carolina native—promises to be one of the most heavily recruited players in the country over the course of the next several years. This weekend news surfaced that North Carolina has officially offered the 14-year old a scholarship, which is the first time that Tar Heel head coach Roy Williams has extended an offer to a player this young.

Expect Duke to make the same move in the near future as Giles appears to be one of the better basketball prospects to come along in recent years.

The Blue Devil coaching staff will be out and about again this weekend for another evaluation period.

Hampton, Virginia will play host to the second session of the Nike EYBL this weekend.

2014 guard Grayson Allen picks up a scholarship offer from Duke basketball

With no commits on board yet, the Duke coaching staff is casting a wide net for its 2014 recruiting class.

Tuesday evening, news broke that Grayson Allen—the No. 36 overall player in the class of 2014, according to ESPN—received a scholarship offer from the Blue Devil coaching staff.

Allen—a dynamic, 6-foot-4 guard—has seen his stock soar over the course of the past year with a strong junior campaign. The Jacksonville-area product has the ability to play both the point guard and shooting guard positions. The news of an offer being extended from the Duke camp does not come as a surprise to the fans who follow recruiting closely. Allen already held a bevy of scholarship offers from high major programs, and there have been rumblings about Duke’s interest in Allen escalating over the past few months.

Here are some highlights of Allen:

The Duke coaching staff will be out in full force on the recruiting trail this weekend for the first evaluation period of the spring.

You can expect much of the staff to be camped out in Los Angeles, Cali. for the first session of the Nike EYBL, which will feature junior Duke targets Tyus Jones, Jahlil Okafor, Justise Winslow, Theo Pinson, Devin Booker, Trey Lyles and Allen.

All of those 2014 prospects hold scholarship offers from Duke along with Kevin Looney, who plays AAU basketball with the Milwaukee Runnin’ Rebels.

Here is the Nike EYBL schedule this weekend in Los Angeles.