Carter reacts to being No. 1
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The updated and expanded rankings for the 2017 class came out on Wednesday and there was a shake-up at the very top of the list. After a great travel season with the Georgia Stars, Atlanta (Ga.) Pace Academy power forward Wendell Carter now sits in the top overall spot.
Being the number one ranked player in your class comes with pressure.
"I feel a little bit of pressure," Carter said. "There was a lot of pressure before being ranked 3rd or 4th, but now being at No. 1, there is even more pressure. I think I can play through it. I just need to work as hard as I would if I wasn't ranked at all."
With the complete overall game Carter possesses at 6-foot-10, Carter will have no shortage of schools banging on his door trying to get him to sign. He rattled off a list that includes Duke, Kentucky, North Carolina, Auburn, Alabama, Florida State, Georgia, Harvard, Stanford and Kansas, but said there are many others also involved in his recruitment.
Duke has been recruiting lights out the past few recruiting classes and are hoping to keep that trend going in 2017 with Carter. Fortunately for them, they have what Carter is looking for in a school.
"They have a really good basketball program and a good academic school, which is my first thought in a school."
John Calipari has impressed the Georgia native early in the process with his honesty.
"That is a pretty good school, too, and of course they have a great basketball program too. I talk to Coach Cal some. He's a good coach. He keeps it straightforward and tells you everything about the program that is true and legit."
Academics are going to be a big part of Carter's decision, which means Stanford will be in play for his services.
"That's a great academic school. Their basketball team is alright. I haven't talked to Coach (Johnny) Dawkins lately, but I talked to him at the beginning of the recruiting process. He said they are going to be on me really hard."
Wednesday was the first day college basketball coaches could get back on the road to see recruits work out at their high schools. One school showed up to see Carter and that was Georgia. Mark Fox and two assistants made the short drive over from Athens to see him.
"They are close to home. That's a big plus for me. They are actually a pretty good academic school. That would be a pretty good fit. Their basketball team isn't the best, but they are improving each year and getting better and better. I love Coach Fox. He's a great person and keeps it real."
Carter doesn't plan on deciding any time soon, but he's not going to be the type to string coaches along either.
"It will probably be sometime next year when I decide," Carter said. "I'm going to cut my list down soon, so I won't be wasting the coaches' time."