One of the most in-demand prospects in the 2024 class, 6-foot-9 wing Trentyn Flowers intends to trim his list of college options from 13 to “five or six” before the end of his junior season at North Carolina’s Combine Academy. The upcoming cut is a significant one and it’s hard to know exactly which schools will survive. That said, Rivals recruiting director Rob Cassidy doesn’t mind offering the occasional educated guess.
Below, Cassidy tries his hand at examining the six programs that are most likely to be left standing when Flowers narrows his focus this winter.
RELATED: Flowers discusses potential visits, trimming his list
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FROM HOOPSGIVING: Day 1 Takeaways | Cassidy's awards
2023 Rankings: Rivals150 | Team | Position
2024 Rankings: Rivals150 | Team
2025 Rankings: Top 40
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CREIGHTON
The Bluejays feel like a bit of a lock to come out of the upcoming cut unscathed. Flowers visited campus back in November and things on that trip seemed to go well. There’s a bedrock of a relationship between Flowers and Greg McDermott, and those close to Flowers think his interest in Creighton is significantly piqued. Not only are the Bluejays a good bet to make the cut, they feel like the ever-so-slight favorite to land Flowers as things stand at this juncture.
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MEMPHIS
Penny Hardaway has a history of being a serious player when it comes to high-profile recruitments, and the race to land Flowers certainly fits in that category. Hardaway hosted Flowers for an official visit in early October and told Flowers he reminded him of himself in his younger days. The personal attention the Tigers’ head coach has paid Flowers is playing well, and it seems as though the Tigers will be left standing when the list narrows.
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GEORGIA STATE
It’s difficult to imagine a world in which Flowers lands at a mid-major, but stranger things have happened. His relationship with Panthers head coach Jonas Hayes needs to be respected because the two are especially close. The bond may well be enough to keep the Sun Belt squad afloat when the ax falls this winter. Flowers took an official visit to Georgia State on Oct. 29.
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LOUISVILLE
Flowers visited Louisville for the school’s Louisville Live event just before the seasons tipped off, and he seemed intrigued by the atmosphere and the excitement surrounding the Kenny Payne era. Obviously that excitement has cooled a bit in light of the Cardinals' rocky start, but an official visit is still worth something. It feels like things could go either way as it relates to Flowers’ list trimming and Louisville, but there’s a solid level of familiarity at work, and that will probably be enough for U of L to stay alive
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NORTH CAROLINA
The allure of UNC is obvious, and it’s hard to count Hubert Davis out, especially since Flowers now plays his high school ball just a few miles away from the Tar Heels’ campus. Flowers took an unofficial visit to North Carolina last month and said he intends to return for an official, which has not taken place yet. It’s difficult to tell where the relationship stands these days. You could imagine a scenario in which The Tar Heels make the cut and bring Flowers back in for an official thereafter, but they are certainly no lock because they haven’t exactly been in hot pursuit lately.
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BONUS POSSIBILITY: KENTUCKY
The Wildcats are a bit of a wild card here because they have yet to offer. That said, UK is definitely keeping Flowers warm and staying in touch and it’s clear that the Combine Academy is interested in what the Wildcats have to offer. In essence, Kentucky will get to choose if it is included in Flowers’ final list of options. If John Calipari and company decide to push, they’ll likely be left standing. If not, it frees up a slot for another program, possibly Oklahoma, which Flowers visited on Oct. 15.
