As college football teams duke it out on the gridiron this weekend, college basketball fans will be paying more attention to which elite hoops prospects are hanging around on the sidelines.
From detailed video presentations to name chants from fans in the stands to lucrative NIL deals, coaches and fans will pull out all stops trying to lure some of the best high school basketball players in the country.
Here are a handful of the hoops VIPs that are roaming on different campuses this weekend.
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Cooper Flagg’s visit to Connecticut
The defending national champs will get first crack at the man of the summer as all eyes descend on Storrs to see how much of an impact Danny Hurley can make for the country’s top prospect. Flagg will no doubt step onto the neon red carpet all weekend before visiting Kansas on Oct. 6 and Duke on Oct. 20.
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Khani Rooths’ visit to Florida State
The IMG Academy (Bradenton, Fla.) wing is officially down to seven (Georgia, Florida State, Maryland, Miami, Michigan, Mississippi State and Virginia Tech) and has taken officials to Mississippi State, Virginia Tech and Georgia. After leaving Leonard Hamilton and Co. this weekend, he’ll head to Miami the following weekend before regrouping. All indications are that coaches have ramped up their pursuit in the potential waning stages of Rooths’ recruitment. Makes sense for one of the most productive wings in the class this past summer.
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Jaxon Johnson’s visit to Utah
Craig Smith welcomed one of the most gifted stretch-fours in the 2024 class in Johnson, a 6-foot-8 sniper of a shooter from the perimeter with great instincts on both ends of the floor. Johnson was named MVP of the adidas 3SSB Nationals after leading the Utah Prospects to the title. He recently cut his list to four: Utah, BYU, USC and Stanford.
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Boogie Fland’s visit to Alabama
The top point guard in the Rivals150 for 2024 took his most recent visit to Kentucky a couple weeks back, which means Nate Oats will have his work cut out for him trying to erase the BBN memories from his mind. The lively festivities surrounding the Crimson Tide’s gridiron duel with Ole Miss should help and selling the freedom of the offense will no doubt resonate as Fland maneuvers through the recruitment process.
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Jerry Easter’s visit to Michigan State
The 6-foot-5 point guard recently visited Georgia Tech and now Tom Izzo will take a swing at the 2025 floor general. Easter’s stock continues to rise after a dominant summer in the Nike EYBL, averaging 17.4 points, five rebounds and 3.6 assists a game.
