Fact or Fiction: DJ Wagner will attend college
deEach week Rivals.com national analysts Rob Cassidy and Dan McDonald examine three statements related to college basketball and college basketball recruiting and dismiss each as fact or fiction.
Today, the trio explores Mark Few’s recent legal trouble, the recruitment of five-star Mark Mitchell and what may become of No. 1 overall prospect DJ Wagner.
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More: Five prospects on commitment watch
2022 Rankings: Rivals150 | Team | Position
2023 Rankings: Rivals150
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1. Gonzaga’s Mark Few will be suspended for longer than 2.5 games for his recent DUI incident
Cassidy: FACT: I actually think he’ll get three games for his lapse in judgement. I suppose four is a possibility but three seems to be in line with other incidents of this sort. Regardless of length, however, I can’t see this having much of an effect on the Zags’ season, as the Bulldogs will be judged only by what they do in March. Expectations have become so lofty in Spokane that nothing else matters.
McDonald: FICTION: Mark Few seems like one of the coaches in college basketball who has built up enough good equity that he can survive making one really bad decision, assuming it is the first time this happened. I hate trying to figure out what the right punishment is for any particular offense, but making him sit out the first game of the season plus some sort of hefty fine and a DUI class feels like adequate punishment to me. Beyond one game, it feels like you’re punishing the players on the team more than the coach.
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2. Duke will land No. 11 overall prospect Mark Mitchell, who recently released his official schedule.
Cassidy: FACT: Duke has long been a major player here and the fact that the Blue Devils are now scheduled to get the coveted final official visit on Oct. 15. I don’t think this is a lock by any stretch just yet, as Mark Mitchell’s Sept. 19 visit to UCLA looms large. That said, I’ll take the red hot Blue Devils to continue building their impressive class even if my opinion is subject to change down the road.
McDonald: FACT: Duke seems to have the momentum as of late and my guess they’ll hang on here to sign the five-star small forward. He’ll join what is already a terrific class for the Blue Devils with Kyle Filipowski, Dariq Whitehead and Jaden Schutt.
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3. No. 1 overall prospect in 2023 DJ Wagner will attend college.
Cassidy: FACT: This is still kind of going out on a limb because people have long assumed DJ Wagner would skip college to limit his injury risk, but I think the tide on that front might be turning. Changes to the NIL rules makes this a much stronger possibility than it was a year ago. A lot of it may also hinge on how the year ahead goes for guys like Emoni Bates and Jalen Duren, both of whom turned down a long list of professional options to attend college. Should the duo navigate the waters smoothly, the minds of Wagner and his family may be put at ease.
McDonald: FICTION. The NIL rule might give a school a chance at getting him to entertain college, but given the backstory with his family, I’d be surprised if he doesn’t go directly to the G League and into the NBA. He’s the top player in his class and he’ll be ready to make that jump. It’ll be the best route for him to improve his game and be ready to play at the highest level of the sport. If he’s serious about education, he’ll always be able to go back and get a degree in the future.