Five key visits to watch in the coming weeks
Summer shoe circuit wars, NBA stars’ skills camps and end of summer all-star showcases are all in the books, which means the official visits are about the ramp up for elite high school basketball prospects.
Players are now preparing to rack up the frequent flyer miles to take a weekend-long walk on the proverbial red carpet at college campuses around the country, as college coaches do their best to try and lure them.
Given that all visits have high stakes and ramifications one way or the other, we’ve zeroed in on five of the most important through the end of September based on the latest news as of Friday.
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DARIUS ACUFF'S VISIT TO MICHIGAN
The top floor general in the 2025 class will kick off the month of September in Ann Arbor where Juwan Howard will lay out the plans for one of the most dynamic guards in the country, regardless of class. Acuff, who is ranked No. 14 in the Rivals150, wowed the country this summer, averaging 20.1 points a game in the Nike EYBL. He recently announced that he was transferring to national hoops powerhouse IMG Academy (Bradenton, Fla.) this coming season. The move will put him on the biggest stage all year, suiting up in the NIBC and frequently playing on national TV. Expect his profile to increase as a result, making next weekend’s visit even more important.
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JALEN HARALSON'S VISIT TO AUBURN
The versatile 6-foot-7 shooting guard is set to take in all things Tigers on Sept. 30. As the No. 11 prospect in the Rivals150, Haralson proved to be one of the most intriguing players in the class with pro size for the position coupled with a dynamic scoring prowess. Haralson will take in a few campuses in an unofficial capacity before Auburn, but Bruce Pearl has always been at his best in a face-to-face. Expect major inroads to be made on this visit.
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TRE JOHNSON'S VISIT TO TEXAS
Johnson is no stranger to Austin, the No. 4 prospect in the Rivals150 has already taken one official visit to Texas. There’s no doubt that a return trip this weekend bodes well for the home-state program, especially since Johnson announced his transfer to Link Academy (Branson, Mo.) for his senior season. Backchannel whispers have Johnson strong with Baylor, so Rodney Terry will likely look at this as his defining moment in the process. Expect all stops to be pulled out in hopes of leaving a lasting impression that could propel the Longhorns to the top in his mind.
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VJ EDGECOMBE'S VISIT TO FLORIDA
Edgecombe has been one of the most productive guards in the country, regardless of class, over the last year and is reaping the benefits as a result. The Gators will get first chomp at the 6-foot-5 shooting guard on Sept. 16 and will need to make major waves in his mind with officials to Baylor, Michigan, Duke, Alabama and Florida State on deck in the following weeks. Todd Golden has a major opportunity with arguably the best two-way guard in the country.
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LIAM MCNEELEY, DERIK QUEEN AND CURTIS GIVENS VISITING INDIANA
Talk about pressure! Mike Woodson will have his work cut out for him come Sept. 8 when he hosts three of the top prospects in the country, who just happen to be teammates on what will most likely be the top high school basketball team in the country. On the one hand, said pressure should subside knowing that the teammates love the idea of teaming up at the next level, hence the scheduling collaboration. Still, knocking it out of the park on interactions, presentations and vibe is no easy feat, especially when you know parents and players are having backchannel conversations/critiques real time. If Woodson can make the sell stick, he could be looking at potentially a top-three recruiting class.