Rivals Roundtable: Addressing top 2024 recruiting storylines
Every Friday, Rivals analysts Rob Cassidy and Jason Jordan weigh in on various topics in the world of basketball and basketball recruiting, and this Friday is no different. Today, Cassidy and Jordan discuss possible game-changing visits, two-team races and unpredictable recruitments.
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WHICH UPCOMING VISIT COULD BE A POSSIBLE GAME CHANGER?
“Duke should still be seen as the leader to land five-star mega-prospect Cooper Flagg, but the fact that he is visiting Kansas would give me some pause if I were a Blue Devils fan. KU feels like it has a chance once it gets Flagg on campus for a visit, and it’s hard to disagree with that assessment based on how the Jayhawks have been recruiting and what took place with Flory Bidunga, who chose Kansas in a bit of a surprise recently. Bill Self shouldn't be counted out and neither should the possibility that an official visit to Lawrence changes the trajectory of Flagg’s process. I still like the Blue Devils here, but Self’s Jayhawks are looming ominously.” - Cassidy
“I’ll stay in Lawrence and talk about Flagg’s teammates Liam McNeeley and Derik Queen this weekend. Self will have his hands full this weekend with two of the top players in the country on campus, but if you ask around on the back channels recruits will tell you that Kansas is easily one of the best visits in the country. I’ve seen the tide turn after a few days with the Jayhawks before. McNeeley and Queen will head to Indiana the weekend after, so this weekend could be really telling in the long run.” - Jordan
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WHICH “WIDE-OPEN” RECRUITMENT DO YOU THINK IS ACTUALLY A TWO-TEAM RACE?
“Officially, Tyler Betsey has a top eight, and I know there’s a lot of chatter about UConn, but everything I’ve been told by people close to the situation suggests this race is actually between Cincinnati and Alabama. Visits can change things, of course, but I’m pretty confident either the Bearcats or Tide will ultimately land the four-star wing when the smoke clears. Betsey has yet to set a commitment date, but I’d expect to hear something before fall turns to winter. I know he recently took a call from Alabama-star-turned-lottery-pick Brandon Miller, who helped ‘Bama make its pitch, but I also know Cincy remains a threat and is possibly the frontrunner.” - Cassidy
“I won’t classify this one as wide open, but I’ve heard in recent weeks that Tre Johnson is considering more schools than most people think. I’m selling that intel. I still say Baylor, which is considered the front runner, and Texas are the two to beat. I don’t see the 6-foot-5 scoring guard leaving the Lone Star State. That said, he’s enrolled in Missouri at Link Academy for his senior year, which makes me feel like we’ll have this thing sown up in the coming months.” - Jordan
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WHICH 2024 RECRUITMENT FEELS MOST UNPREDICTABLE AT THIS JUNCTURE?
“Jase Richardson’s process has become interesting to me. I realize this goes against all logic, which dictates Michigan State is the team to beat, but this is one of those recruitments where a number of college staff members seem to feel pretty confident. Of course, the nature of recruiting dictates that everyone’s always confident right up until the point that they aren’t, but I’ve been surprised how many coaches seem to legitimately like where they stand in relation to the four-star guard. Alabama, Arkansas, Cincinnati and Michigan State all seem to consider themselves to be major players as we head down the home stretch, and all of them but one are going to be extremely disappointed in the coming months as nobody seems likely to wave the white flag any time soon. I’m really curious to see how this plays out.” - Cassidy
“Honestly, it's VJ Edgecombe for me. I don’t usually believe players when they say they’re wide open, but I can tell he’s being genuine. His plan is to actually keep an open mind heading into a full slate of official visits in the coming months as he goes to Florida, Baylor, Duke, Michigan, Florida and Alabama. His openness is an easier sell when you consider that this attention is basically all new to him. This time last year, Edgecombe was receiving his first offer, so he doesn’t have the ego that most players in his position tend to come with. For those reasons, it’s anyone’s guess as to how this plays out.” - Jordan