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 Duke
The country waits with bated breath as the No. 1 prospect in the Rivals150 for 2024 lives it up in Durham to take in, among other things, Duke’s Countdown to Craziness weekend. It’s no secret that the popular belief is that Flagg leans toward Jon Scheyer and the Blue Devils, but little has come out of his camp before and after his only visit to Connecticut a few weeks back. Flagg cancelled a visit to Kansas and hasn’t announced any plans to take any other visits. Scheyer has already solidified his standing as the ultimate closer, but reeling in the whale that is Flagg could lap the competition on the recruiting trail.
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V.J. Edgecombe’s visit to Duke
Edgecombe is fresh off his official visit to Baylor after leaving Florida a month ago, now he’s taking in the madhouse that is Cameron Indoor Stadium for Duke’s Countdown to Craziness weekend. Scheyer will, no doubt, be on his A-game all weekend with fellow five stars Cooper Flagg and Patrick Ngongba also visiting campus, selling the trio on coexisting for success like Edgecombe and Flagg did when they teamed up to win the NBPA Top 100 Camp title in June.
Patrick Ngongba’s visit to Duke
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Ngongba took it all in in Storrs last weekend on his visit to Connecticut and now Jon Scheyer takes his swing at the versatile 6-foot-10 center. Ngongba, who checks in at No. 34 overall in the Rivals150, has already been to Michigan and has visits set up to Kentucky and Kansas State in the coming weeks, so it’s imperative for Scheyer to move the needle this weekend.
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Derik Queen’s visit to Maryland
The multi-talented Montverde Academy center has been to Kansas, LSU, Indiana and Houston and now he’s back home with Kevin Willard and the Terps. As it stands, this is the last stop of his official visit tour, which means Willard gets last crack at selling the Baltimore native on staying home and starring, no easy feat with the heavyweight contenders on Maryland’s heels.
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Billy Richmond’s visit to Alabama
Richmond has had a busy last two months, visiting LSU, Kentucky, Memphis, Kansas and now Nate Oats gets to take his swing at swaying the 6-foot-6 wing. Richmond was one of the most productive prospects of the summer ascending a whole 70 spots to No. 39 overall in the Rivals150. Oats’ quick-hitting, fast-paced offense is an easy sell, but he’ll have to get creative to stand out with multiple pitches over the last 45 days.
Zoom Diallo’s visit to Arizona
Tommy Lloyd is all in for the four-star point guard as whispers grow louder that Diallo is seeing the end in sight for his recruitment. Diallo took a recent visit to Washington and plans to visit Alabama soon. Gonzaga, USC and Kansas all remain in the mix as well.
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Kiyan Anthony’s visit to Syracuse
Florida State got first crack at the 2025 shooting guard, now it’s Adrian Autry’s turn to try and make a lasting impression on Anthony. It certainly helps that his famous dad, former NBA star Carmelo Anthony, led the Orange to an NCAA title in 2003, but resting on their laurels with the list of heavyweight programs on his heels would be a mistake. Expect Autry and the Orange to pull out all the stops for the legacy recruit.
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Derrion Reid’s visit to Alabama
Nate Oats will have his hands full all weekend hosting Reid and Billy Richmond, who he’ll try and sell on becoming the next dynamic duo on the wing in Tuscaloosa. Georgia and Florida State round out Reid’s top three for the five-star wing.
