Florida Man: Jalen Duren; news and notes from Midwest Mania
WESTFIELD, Ind. - Jalen Duren, the No. 2 overall prospect in the 2022 class, trimmed his list to include nine colleges and two professional options between games at the MADE Hoops Midwest Mania event over the weekend.
There wasn’t much surprising about the cut, which left Kentucky, Villanova, Alabama, Miami, Auburn, Michigan, Penn State, UCLA and Memphis as the final schools standing in the race to land Duren’s letter of intent … should he decide to sign one. For the record, the professional route still seems like the most likely option, but nothing on that front is obviously set in stone.
That said, let’s try to read the college tea leaves based on the conversation I had with Duren in Indiana a few hours before he narrowed his list, shall we?
I have a long-standing policy against bringing up specific schools when talking to recruits, unless I’m asking about offers or visits. Instead, I let them guide the conversation. If a prospect actually cares about I school, I find he’ll usually bring that school up on his own.
That brings us to Duren, who, on the eve of dropping his list of finalists, mentioned just five colleges by name: Kentucky, Auburn, Villanova, Alabama and Michigan. He expanded most on Kentucky, Michigan and Villanova, noting the allure of UK and its famous head coach before discussing his strong relationships with both Nova’s Jay Wright and UM’s Juwan Howard.
“Juwan (Howard) is really cool, and we’re still building relationships,” Duren said. “But a lot of coaches are really cool. Jay Wright is really cool, too. I really don’t want to forget anyone else, because all the coaches have been great.”
Then there’s the Miami situation. The Hurricanes now have a built-in link to Duren, as recent assistant coach hire DJ Irving previously worked for Duren’s powerhouse Team Final grassroots program. The two have a strong bond, and, because of that, UM has to be seen as in the thick of the race, if not as the de facto leader among college options.
Whatever the case, it seems UK, Miami, Nova and Michigan will almost certainly be major players until the end.
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MORE: Cassidy Awards from Midwest Mania | Shaw Awards from Pitt Jam Fest
2021 Rankings: Rivals150 | Team | Position
2022 Rankings: Rivals150 | Team | Position
2023 Rankings: Top 30
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EMPTYING THE NOTEBOOK FROM MIDWEST MANIA
More coverage of the weekend’s loaded MADE Hoops Midwest Mania event can be found here and here, but let’s get the rest of the scribbles in my notebook online here and put a bow on what was a busy and informative weekend in the Indianapolis suburbs.
Miller mentioned Kansas, Louisville and Alabama as schools of interest following his game on Saturday. He also noted that it has been some time since he talked to the Cardinals, while also saying Kansas is the school coming on hardest as of late.
“I just recently got the offer, and they are telling me about the crowd and the atmosphere and it looks crazy,” Miller said. “I have a Zoom meeting with (Bill Self) scheduled soon. Plus, I know (Mario Chalmers), so I have him to ask questions. Kansas was one offer I wanted, so I’m excited to have it."
Miller’s recruitment is young, and things are subject to change, but it seems wise to keep a close eye on the Jayhawks and Alabama as things stand.
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A Purdue commit, Loyer was one of the best spot shooters at the weekend event and showed off an ability to score at all three levels while wowing with his range. He remains a bit of a project on the defensive end, but his shot-making ability is clearly elite. Right now his role is of an elite shooter that rebounds pretty well for his position, but he could certainly become more than that as he gets stronger and learns to move better laterally. Still, if you let the 6-foot-5 set his feet and have a look at the rim, the ball is going through the hoop.
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We discussed Mitchell’s incredible defensive performance here. He’s definitely a stock riser that will shoot well into the top 50 soon enough, but the race to land his pledge is equally as interesting. On Friday, the four-star forward discussed Florida, Georgia, Auburn and Ole Miss as possible options. The Gators and Bulldogs seem to have an ever-so-small leg up for now. The catch here is that more offers will arrive if the 6-foot-8 wing continues to play the way he’s playing. A number of other major programs could involve themselves soon, which may or may not change things.
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Edwards scored 15 points while battling cramps in a game that saw him help his team erase a 30-point deficit to capture the event championship. Edwards has long been on the radar, but the weekend helped secure his place as a stock-riser that will appear in the Rivals150 when 2023 updates. Edwards, who holds offers from Virginia Tech, Seton Hall and others will likely find his way into the top 50 range come rankings week.
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The newest Clemson commit flashed potential over the weekend. He’s a solid defender and a willing rebounder. Middlebrooks is a decent outside shooter, but floats a bit too much in the perimeter for a prospect that has the body to dominate under the basket. When he’s shooting it well, he’s a matchup nightmare. When he’s not, it's frustrating that he declines to pursue more easy buckets based on mismatches in the paint. Middlebrooks is a high-upside prospect that could become even more impressive if his offensive game becomes a bit more well-rounded.