NCAA Basketball Recruiting: Kentucky still favorite to land Kerry Blackshear?

Michael Savarino to play for grampa Mike Krzyzewski at Duke

Mike Krzyzewski added another player to the Duke Blue Devils 2019 recruiting class on June 6. This recruit, Michael Savarino, is really special to Krzyzewski as he is his grandson. Savarino will join the Blue Devils as a walk-on.

“He’s earned it,” Krzyzewski told reporters. “Michael was a really good player at Durham Academy, well-coached there, they had their best season ever. Played on a talented team this year. Michael is a leader, he’s a good shooter, player. He’s also an outstanding student.

The 6′ point guard, who is Krzyzewski’s oldest daughter Debbie’s son, averaged 7.3 points along with 3.6 rebounds, 2.9 assists as well as 1.2 steals at Durham (NC) Academy.

Savarino is the fifth member of the Blue Devils recent recruiting class, which is ranked among the top-five in the nation. He joins Vernon Carey, Matthew Hurt, Wendell Moore, and Cassius Stanley.

 More recruiting news

• Grad transfer Eric Hamilton signed with the Pitt Panthers on June 6. The 6’9″ power forward paid a visit to the campus, which is located in the Oakland section of the city, on Tuesday. Hamilton started his career at Wichita State and spent last season at UNCG, where he averaged 6.1 points, on 59.1% shooting, and 4.4 rebounds while averaging 16.1 minutes off the bench. Hamilton will provide a big boost a Panthers frontcourt that is in need of bodies. Pitt still has two scholarships available for the upcoming season and are looking at several prospects.
• Kenyon Martin Jr. decided to turn pro rather than play at Vanderbilt on June 6. Martin, whose father by the same name played 15 years in the NBA, was a consensus three-star recruit out of Canyon Sierra (Calif.) High School — where he averaged 16.4 points and nine rebounds as a senior. The 6’6″ forward is the second player to skip college following RJ Hampton. Martin’s departure leaves Vanderbilt with two scholarships available for the upcoming season. Coach Jerry Stackhouse’s first recruiting class currently consists of four players and is headlined by 6’1″ four-star point guard Scotty Pippen Jr.  Four-star Dylan Disu along with three-star Jordan Wright and Oton Jankovic is the Commodores other players in the class.
• 6’6″ wing Bret Porter (Omaha, Neb.) will join the Nebraska Cornhuskers as a preferred walk-on. Porter, who tore his ACL in the spring of 2018, averaged  6.2 points and 4.4 rebounds in 21 games for Millard North last season. The Huskers first-year coach Fred Hoiberg has brought in several transfers including grad students in Haanif Cheatham and Matej Kavas. Hoiberg, who has one more scholarship available for the upcoming campaign, has four freshmen in his 2019 recruiting class
• Oregon has had a relatively busy week on the transfer market, inking New Mexico grad transfer Anthony Mathis on June 6. The Ducks hosted UNLV transfer Shakur Juiston on Wednesday and is expected to host Rutgers’ transfer Eugene Omoruyi at some point. Omoruyi was a major contributor for the Scarlet Knights last year, leading the team with 13.8 points along with 7.2 caroms a contest. He will have one year of eligibility remaining after sitting out the upcoming campaign. Omoruyi took a visit to Texas A&M on Tuesday.
• Sophomore point guard Greg Foster Jr. announced that he will be transferring from Gonzaga on June. The 6’5″ athletic lead guard finished the year with 19 points, 12 assists and 11 rebounds in limited action. He  Foster’s father, Greg Sr., played several years in the NBA and is currently an assistant coach with the Atlanta Hawks.
• 2020 6’5″ shooting guard C.J. Wilcher (Elizabeth, NJ) committed to Xavier on June 7. He averaged 17.7 points, 4.7 rebounds, and 2.3 assists while shooting 39 percent from deep (65 threes) last year at St. Benedict’s Wilcher is Xavier’s second 2020 commitment, selecting the Muskateers over Cincinnati, Minnesota, Providence and Minnesota, among others.
• 2020 consensus four-star prospect Justin Powell committed to Auburn on June 7. He chose Auburn over several other high-major offers including Xavier, Ohio State, and Georgia Tech.
• Arizona landed 6’11” Nevada transfer Jordan Brown on Friday. Brown, who is very skilled, will have three years of eligibility remaining after sitting out in 2019-20. A former McDonald’s All-American selection, he saw limited time last year and averaged 3.0 points along with 2.1 rebounds.
• Former North Carolina point guard Seventh Woods has decided to transfer to South Carolina. The 6’1″ Columbia (SC) native is heading home after three unproductive years at UNC where he averaged 1.8 points in 94 appearances. He will join a crowded backcourt in 2020-21 as he must sit out this upcoming season.

• Sophomore forward Josh Mballa has chosen to transfer from Texas Tech to Buffalo. The 6’7″ Frenchman averaged 3.4 minutes over 17 games as a freshman for the Red Raiders.
• 2018 four-star recruit J’Raan Brooks has chosen to transfer to Washington. Brooks spent last season at USC, averaging 2.0 points and 1.3 rebounds while shooting 44.2% from the field and 35.3% from beyond the arc in less than nine minutes a game of 28 contests.