Rivals Roundtable: Dream conference, Dylan Harper's decision, more
Friday is roundtable day at Rivals. In this week’s installment Rivals analysts Rob Cassidy and Jason Jordan imagine their ideal basketball-only conference, discuss where things stand with No. 1-ranked prospect Dylan Harper and try to make sense of the most unpredictable uncommitted recruits in the 2024 class.
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In the spirit of conference realignment starting to churn again what would be your ideal 10-team college basketball conference, giving no thought to TV revenue?
THE CASSIDY LEAGUE: Duke, North Carolina, UConn, Kansas, St. John’s, Indiana, Kentucky, Tennessee, Miami, Florida State
Cassidy: First of all, I have absolutely no interest in my league playing games that tip at 10:30 p.m. ET, so the entire West Coast is out. Send my apologies to Bill Walton.
I’ll start with Duke and North Carolina for obvious reasons. This conference needs headliners and trademark rivalries. It also needs villains, so let’s check those boxes right away. Then, gimme Kansas and UConn. I want Allen Fieldhouse, which I consider to be the sport’s coolest venue. I also want rights to the lore of Khalid El-Amin, who I consider to be the sport’s greatest chubby point guard – the Allen Fieldhouse of beefy floor generals, if you will.
After that, it’s time to get a little weird. I’ll take St. John’s because there are very few cooler brands. I’ll grab Indiana and try to force them into some folksy, Midwestern rivalry with Kansas. People can call it “The Blue Collar Brawl” or something equally as annoying and stupid. Kentucky can come because I want their massive fan base, but they have to bring Tennessee with them because any conference of mine needs fans with bright orange Twitter avatars ready to cyberbully people at a moment’s notice. Let’s top this cocktail off with Miami and Florida State because I’m a huge fan of both this rivalry and Florida-based scandals. Other leagues may be deeper, but I promise you that no league will be as interesting.
THE JORDAN LEAGUE: Kentucky, Duke, Kansas, UCLA, Charlotte, Gonzaga, Alabama, Indiana, North Carolina, Baylor
Jordan: I’ll admit it, my league makes zero geographical sense and would likely cause health problems for ADs who are trying to schedule games. That said, this is what I’d love to see. Now, obviously your first question is: What the heck is Charlotte doing in there? Two reasons: I’m an alum and as such I will receive priority seating for the powerhouse home games. Don’t judge me. Naturally, I’d have Duke and North Carolina duking it out because duh, but can you imagine the Kentucky-Gonzaga barn burner at 11 p.m. ET on a Wednesday night? Then Indiana-Duke on Thursday to follow on Thursday night. Oh, the possibilities
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It seems like Dylan Harper, the No. 1 prospect in the 2024 class, is closing in on a commitment. How do you see this shaking out?
Cassidy: Every sign seems to point to Rutgers, but “seems to” is the key phrase there. The last concrete thing I was told about the situation from people close to the process was “It’ll be Rutgers if the NIL is right.” The nature of NIL, however, makes it difficult to figure out what that means or if that need has been satisfied. I’m not confident enough to put in an official pick, but I will say that I’d be moderately shocked if Harper spurns the Scarlet Knights and ends up elsewhere.
Jordan: The safe bet is on Rutgers from what I’ve heard, but I’m also aware of the nuances that matriculate to the back channels with every top-tier prospect. Timing is so key with everything; I’ve seen things change in literally an hour. Literally. I never count out Jon Scheyer and Duke when they’ve got their hooks in, but as this recruitment wanes the Scarlett Knights certainly remain in great position.
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Which 2024 prospect's recruitment do you see as the most unpredictable at this moment?
Cassidy: I don’t know if anyone has a great handle on what’s going on with Naas Cunningham. Usually, when things are this quiet it suggests serious pro-league involvement. That said, Rutgers, UCLA, Kentucky, Memphis, Duke and Kansas all seem to be hanging around. I wouldn’t be stunned if he landed at any of the above, but the lack of real movement in his recruitment has made things feel particularly unpredictable. Add in the fact that he recently left Atlanta-based Overtime Elite and will play his senior season on the other coast as a member of Southern California Academy, and it really feels like we may be in for a few twists when it comes to Cunningham’s process” - Cassidy
Jordan: Bryson Tucker is one I haven’t been able to get a handle on, and most in the recruiting world are all over the place on inside tracks with the 6-foot-8 wing. Michigan State, Michigan, Illinois, Duke and others have been linked to Tucker, but without popping up on visits throughout the summer it’s hard to draw conclusions. One thing I’ve heard consistently is that Tucker will likely go the distance with his recruitment, so no concrete news may all be a part of the plan.