Recruiting Recap: Duke Blue Devils

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Published on September 3, 2019

After putting together not only one of the best recruiting classes in Duke history for last season, but one of the best in college basketball history, Duke head coach Mike Krzyzewski had his work cut out for him with the 2019 class.

While he wasn't able to again get the three best high school prospects in the country on one team as he did in 2018, headed by eventual No. 1 overall pick Zion Williamson, Krzyzewski did a great job retooling for his 40th season as the program's head coach. With this class, he's given Duke a solid foundation of guards, wings and big men after losing four of his top five players from last year's squad.

Vernon Carey Jr., C, (6-10, 275)

The consensus on Carey out of high school is that he is the third best big man prospect behind Memphis' James Wiseman and Washington's Isaiah Stewart, but he is still viewed as a borderline top five guy in the 2019 class and the crowned jewel of this freshman class for Krzyzewski. Carey boasts a 6-foot-10, 275-pound frame with a 7-foot wingspan and plays an old-school brand of big man basketball.

Vernon Carey Jr., C, (6-10, 275)

Carey likes to spend a lot of time with his back to the basket, displaying a variety of post moves with great footwork and touch around the rim. While Carey's frame is a lot for a man to bring off the ground, the Florida-native is explosive, and he constantly finds himself finishing above the rim when near the basket. That explosiveness also helps Carey be a tenacious rebounder on both the offensive and defensive glass. While Carey does have strong shooting mechanics, he didn't find himself extending his game outside the paint too often on the high school level, but the baseline for a face-up game is certainly there and was occasionally put on display.

The biggest reservation scouts have with Carey is his conditioning. While explosive, Carey doesn't boast the speed or athleticism of the prototypical modern big man, and with as large of a frame as Carey has, his ability to stay in shape and play on the court for long durations has been questioned. But in terms of talent, there doesn't appear to be many concerns regarding Carey's ability to produce on both ends of the floor.

At Duke, Carey should slot right in as the team's starting center, where he should swallow up rebounds and bully opponents on the block on his way to potentially being a double-double machine at the collegiate level so long as he can stay on the floor. Carey should also rack up some easy blocks and deflections on defense, although scouts to not project him as an elite rim protector.

Matthew Hurt, PF, (6-8, 215)

While Hurt is viewed as a borderline top-10 prospect, seniority may keep him on the bench to start his freshman season behind senior Javin DeLaurier. Nevertheless, the 6-9 power forward will surely play a large role for Duke this coming year given his diverse offensive skill set.

Simply put, Hurt is a bucket. As one of the top forwards in the 2019 class, Hurt can score from absolutely anywhere on the floor. He is lethal from behind the arc with unlimited range and has the ability to take defenders off the dribble and finish at the rim in a variety of ways. He also has solid footwork and can score with ease off a post move when the defensive matchup calls for it. Hurt's height and high basketball IQ also allows him to be a strong passer, especially out of double teams, which he saw plenty of on the high school level.

Hurt's frame, however, may lead to some limitations as a freshman on the collegiate level. Entering college, Hurt boasts a very thin frame, which may lead to struggles in the post on both sides of the ball. While he has solid footwork, Hurt doesn't have very quick feet, potentially leading to issues when having to guard more athletic, shiftier power forwards.

In the end, Hurt will be relied upon for his scoring ability, as he will likely be Duke's best pure scorer this season. He could rack up some assists as defenses start to give him more attention, but he should at the very least be able to post consistent production in the scoring column on a weekly basis.

Wendell Moore, SF, (6-6, 215)

Moore is a consensus top-25 prospect out of Charlotte, North Carolina and could be in line for a very productive freshman season with Duke having rather shaky wing depth for the second straight year. Moore is a tad undersized for the small forward position with a 6-5, 215-pound frame, but he makes up for it with explosive athleticism and a 6-11 wingspan.

That athleticism and length make Moore, at a minimum, an elite defender at the collegiate level. Beyond having the tools to be a great on-ball defender, Moore is also a terrific shot blocker for someone his size and should have no issues racking up chase-down blocks in both the halfcourt and transition.

Offensively, Moore is primarily a slasher, as he is at his best when attacking the rim. He has a terrific handle for a wing that allows him to stay in control and is a strong, crafty finisher with his athleticism allowing him to stay in the air for a long time. But Moore doesn't utilize his ability to drive just to score, as the swingman has a high basketball IQ and is a great playmaker off the dribble. If the Blue Devils can get enough shooting around Moore, he should be able to drive and kick out to shooters with accuracy on a regular basis.

In terms of his own shooting ability, it definitely can be improved upon, as he didn't have to rely on it too much on the high school level. But Moore has quality shooting mechanics, good elevation on his jumper and a strong mid-range game, giving him a strong foundation to be an effective three-point shooter on the college level.

Given the current makeup of Duke's roster, Moore is likely going to be relied upon for floor spacing, as the program is in desperate need of outside shooting, especially with Carey and DeLaurier taking up space in the paint. But Moore is best with the ball in his hands, and Duke running the offense through him on occasion could help with wing rack up points and assists in bunches this season.

Cassius Stanley, SG, (6-5, 185)

Stanley is the third Duke freshman expected to crack the starting five when the team tips off this fall as the likely running mate to sophomore point guard Tre Jones. Stanley, a consensus top-40 prospect in the 2019 class, will bring an incredible amount of athleticism and skill to Duke's backcourt this season.

At 6-6, Stanley brings great size to the shooting guard position, but he plays even bigger than he appears with his insane bounce. He will be most dangerous in transition both as a finisher and distributor. Stanley might be the freakiest athlete in the 2019 class and the best dunker as a result, but he also is an effective, flashy passer and can throw up the lob pass as well as he can throw it down.

Much like Moore, Stanley has the mechanics to be an effective three-point shooter, but he still needs to make considerable improvement in that aspect of his game in order to be most effective at the collegiate level. He will also be relied on to space the floor at times, and a consistent jumper could really open things up for Stanley. His halfcourt game as a whole will need some work, but when Stanley is given even a hint of open space, he attacks it with an unmatched ferocity.

When looking as Stanley as a whole, he is still very raw when it comes to the development of his complete game, but his physical tools make his ceiling as a basketball player as high as they come. He will certainly be a fan-favorite over the course of the 2019-20 campaign with how often his head will be seen above the rim, but Stanley's overall production could depend on the pace Duke decides to play at. The faster the pace, the more open floor runs and transition buckets for Stanley, and the more valuable an asset he becomes.