How things stand with uncommitted 2021 five-stars
Just eight five-star prospects remained uncommitted when the Early Signing Period got underway on Wednesday morning. Below, Rivals.com has a look at each of the eight, provides the latest on their recruitments and examines how likely they are to make a choice during the signing window.
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MORE: Florida Man previews early signing period
2021 Rankings: Rivals150 | Team | Position
2022 Rankings: Rivals150 | Team
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THE LATEST: Duke, Georgetown, Kentucky, Michigan, Milwaukee, North Carolina, Northwestern, UCLA, Virginia and Wisconsin have been involved in his recruitment. For a while now, many have considered Duke to be the favorite to eventually receive his commitment. However, don’t completely rule out the possibility he decides to stay home and play for his father, who is the head coach at Milwaukee.
WILL HE SIGN EARLY? It’s unlikely Baldwin signs during the Early Signing Period, but a decision could come at some point before the end of 2020.
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THE LATEST: Gonzaga seems to hold a solid lead for the five-star big man and should eventually be the pick That said, the longer his recruitment goes on the more hope schools such as Minnesota, Michigan and Ohio State receive. Holmgren sees himself as a perfect fit for Mark Few’s system, however, so the Zags will be tough to beat.
WILL HE SIGN EARLY? There’s almost no way we hear an announcement during the early period, as the five-star forward is said to be nowhere near making a decision.
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THE LATEST: The latest intel surrounding Hardy suggests the five-star shooting guard might be leaning toward the professional route over spending a year in college. If he does decide to play a year of college ball, look for Arizona, Kentucky, Michigan, Oregon and UCLA to be heavily involved. Recent FutureCast picks have UCLA surging ahead in his recruitment.
WILL HE SIGN EARLY? It’s unlikely Hardy signs during the Early Signing Period.
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THE LATEST: The smart money is on Kentucky as of now, but North Carolina and even Iowa State remain involved. UNC was seen as the frontrunner before Kentucky offered in August and remains in the mix. Creighton, Sallis’ hometown school, remains alive, but this seems like a battle between Roy Williams and John Calipari.
WILL HE SIGN EARLY? It’s conceivable. Sallis has not announced a commitment date, but it seems as though he’s nearing a decision.
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THE LATEST: Like Hardy, there has been a lot of chatter about Foster skipping the opportunity to play college basketball for the professional ranks. If college were to ultimately win out, expect Florida State and Georgia to be the main players in his recruitment, with Bulldogs having the inside track.
WILL HE SIGN EARLY? Don’t expect a college decision from Foster during the Early Signing Period.
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THE LATEST: Georgetown, Georgia and Indiana are the three schools that have been mentioned the most in Mohammed’s recruitment lately. The Hoosiers probably have a slight edge, but the Hoyas and Bulldogs certainly shouldn’t be counted out.
WILL HE SIGN EARLY? Mohammed likely won’t make a decision during the Early Signing Period, but he will likely make a decision some time in December. He’s also considering the idea of enrolling in college for the spring semester.
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THE LATEST: Officially, Keels has a top three. But unofficially, this seems like a Villanova-versus-Duke battle, with Virginia running in third. Duke was Keels’ last visit before the COVID-19 crisis shut everything down and has looked like the favorite to win this battle at times, but Villanova is thought to have come on strong down the stretch. This could go either way.
WILL HE SIGN EARLY? Keels seems unlikely to announce during the early period, but it shouldn’t be totally ruled out.
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THE LATEST: A one-time Florida State commit, McGowens seems headed to Nebraska, the program for which his older brother currently plays. Georgia is also an option and could swoop in and steal the five-star’s pledge. Nothing is set in stone just yet and McGowens is no lock for the Huskers, but Fred Hoiberg has to love where his team stands.
WILL HE SIGN EARLY? McGowens has set Nov. 13 announcement date.