Is Cade Cunningham pulling the Kawhi Leonard move within the college recruiting world this fall? Rivals analyst Corey Evans discusses that in today's Three-Point Play, along with the recent recruiting win for Florida State and the latest on Nebraska decommit and Rivals150 senior D’Andre Davis.
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COREY EVANS MAILBAG: Tuesday | Wednesday
2020 Rankings: Rivals150 | Team | Position
2021 Rankings: Rivals150 | Position
USA HOOPS MINICAMP: Top underclassmen | Superlatives
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CADE PULLS HIS BEST KAWHI
The recruitment of Cade Cunningham may be the closest thing that we have seen that can compare to recent summers of NBA free agency. Just how this past summer, Kawhi Leonard's decision held practically everyone in a holding pattern from signing, Cunningham is doing something comparable this fall.
The five-star guard wants to win, and win really big. He also knows that he cannot do it alone, just like Leonard who pulled Paul George along with him to the Los Angeles Clippers. Here is what Cunningham told me two weeks ago:
“I am really big on choosing who I want to play with and it will be one of the last times that I will be able to do that.”
Who are the guys that he is talking about? For North Carolina, it may be Ziaire Williams, one of his best friends. It could be Greg Brown for Kentucky, who he’s developed a great rapport with during on the travel circuit this summer. For Oklahoma State, it could be one of his best friends, Rondel Walker, along with JT Thor and even Bryce Thompson.
Brown and Williams are expected to sign late; Walker, Thor and Thompson are slated to sign next month. While I do not foresee Cunningham signing in November, I do see a commitment being made close to Thanksgiving.
Don’t count out Florida or Washington either, but after this weekend, he will have completed all of his visits and head into decision-making mode. Where he decides, expect for another elite target to follow, making the respective program a national title contender immediately.
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FLORIDA STATE DOES IT AGAIN
For the fifth time in the past six recruiting cycles, Florida State has celebrated the commitment of a five-star prospect. Scottie Barnes, to the surprise of most, picked the Seminoles over Kentucky and Oregon, which might be one of Leonard Hamilton’s best recruiting wins in recent years.
Barnes should be a major force in Tallahassee. He is going to be a tremendous weapon under the tutelage of Hamilton, but also likely not the last FSU will enroll in such a mold.
Numbers say that we should come to expect Florida State winning such a recruitment every fall. The Seminoles are a consistent recruiting force that have become a pain in the sides of other national powers.
So, who, from the 2021 class, will FSU manage to steal from the elite? Its best chance might be with Jabari Smith. The Seminoles are among the early leaders for him just as Smith fits the mold of a long and rangy forward that the Seminoles have come to covet. Matthew Cleveland is another to keep an eye on, as is Jon Kuminga, a prospect that FSU may have a better chance with than many others believe.
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D'ANDRE DAVIS UPDATE
Over the weekend, Nebraska was dealt a blow due to the decommitment of D’Andre Davis. The Rivals150 wing had committed to the prior regime and before his national emergence. He selected the Huskers before many other power level programs could become involved, which is why his second go-round is already much different.
Davis is a versatile wing that can play a variety of positions which make him that much more valuable this fall, especially in light of an already depleted Rivals150 that has seen nearly two-thirds of its members come to a college decision.
The Indianapolis native stands close to 6-foot-6 and boasts great length and upside on the perimeter. He averaged more than 17 points, six rebounds, two assists and a steal on the Nike circuit this summer and while he decided to remain loyal to Nebraska throughout the coaching change, both sides decided to go their separate ways.
On Wednesday, Purdue’s Matt Painter and a Xavier assistant came in to see him, but could Louisville be the program to beat? The Cards offered both Davis and his younger brother, 2022 wing D’Ante Davis, and this weekend, the elder Davis will take an official visit to the ACC program. While this could just be the start of a drawn-out process, Chris Mack could also be on the cusp of his first high school commitment this fall with the talented wing.
