NCAA Basketball Recruiting: Henry Coleman cuts list to 5, sets visit dates

Four-star Henry Coleman recently cut his college wishlist to five and set a few campus visits. Which NCAA Basketball teams earned visits and where will he ultimately end up?

Top-50 2020 NCAA Basketball forward Henry Coleman had a fantastic campaign on the summer circuit and recently cut his college to five. He is now considering Duke, Michigan, North Carolina State, Ohio State, and Virginia Tech.

Coleman averaged 18.2 points and 6.4 rebounds while shooting an incredible 67% from the field and 75% from the free-throw line in 10 games on the Addidas Gauntlet Circuit. The 6-6 combo forward is strong and physical, as well as a decent athlete, who plays with an abundance of energy. He is also a solid scorer and rebounder but does need to improve his outside shooting.

The Trinity Episcopal School product has a consensus four-star rating as he is ranked between No. 32 and 47 in his class. 247Sports and 247Sports Composite have him rated the highest at No. 32 and 37, respectively. Meanwhile, Coleman is slated at No. 42 by ESPN and 47th by Rivals.

Coleman spoke to Rivals’ Corey Evans about each of his final five schools a few weeks ago.

The breakdown

Duke: Coleman picked up a scholarship from the Blue Devils on July 14 and was left speechless after talking to coach Mike Krzyzewski.

"“Coach K and I have talked about my role and how I can come there and be a leader and help them win a championship and how I can have a role like a Matt Jones, or a Justice Winslow."

Coleman has said that Jeremy Roach and Jalen Johnson, both of whom have committed to the Blue Devils for next year, have stayed in touch with him. The Devils could really use some help in the frontcourt next year, particularly if Matthew Hurt leaves for the NBA after one season. If that should be the case, walk-on Keenan Worthington and Vernon Carey, who also could depart after one season, would be the only holdovers.  They do have open offers to power forward Scottie Barnes along with centers Mark Williams and Walker Kessler. Duke is a finalist for both Williams and Kessler. Overall, Duke has six open offers and two more spots to fill in 2020.

Michigan: Coleman is a strong believer in coach Juwan Howard. The Wolverines, who already have a commitment from 2020 guard Zeb Jackson, are a finalist for several other players in next year’s class including  Joshua Christopher, Lance Ware, Jaden Springer, Walker Kessler, Hunter Dickinson, and Nimari Burnett. Michigan is expected to have at least three more roster spots open next year.

North Carolina State: The Wolfpack have been on Coleman from the very beginning and he said that coach Kevin Keats and assistant James Johnson “really love what I can do on and off of the court. They say that I could be a guy that really changes the culture at NC State.” The Pack has already received a commitment from Nick Farrar (Holly Springs, N.C.).

Evans recently said that Keats, who is projected to have three more scholarships available for next year, would love to finish the 2020 class off with top 50 prospects Cam Thomas and Josh Hall along with top 2021 recruit Josh Hayes. Hayes could reclassify to 2020.  NC State is expected to land two of those three players and is reportedly also in the mix for John Hugley, Deivon Smith, and Tristan Maxwell.

Ohio State: The Buckeyes have made Coleman a priority and have been in touch often.

"“I like what Coach  [Chris]Holtmann has done over the last couple years and they see me coming in and having a major role.”"

OSU does not currently have an immediate need anywhere, which is good as the Buckeyes only have one scholarship available for 2020. While Coleman sits atop of their wishlist, they are also a finalist for Donovan “Puff” Johnson and have open offers to 16 other prospects in the class.

Virginia Tech: The Hokies have been after Coleman since day one and were one of the first programs to offer him.

"” I like what Coach (Mike) Young is bringing in and what type of culture he has created. They see me as a wing in their system.”"

Virginia Tech could really use some help at forward, however, the Hokies currently don’t have any scholarships available for 2020 as they already have commitments from consensus four-star shooting guard Darius Maddox and three-plus star Joe Bamisile. The Hokies are also a finalist for Williams.

What’s next for Coleman

The Richmond (Va.) native is slated to take an official visit to Duke on August 31. Coleman is slated to visit Ohio State the next weekend (Sept. 7) and then make the trek to Virginia Tech on Sept. 14. He is expected to set up trips to Michigan and North Carolina State prior to making a decision, which could come sometime in November.

Duke is considered the favorite for Coleman’s services. However, if the Blue Devils don’t land him, I think it is a toss-up for the other contenders. I believe Michigan would be the clubhouse leader, but it depends on how they fare with their other finalist. NC State, Ohio State, and Virginia Tech are also very much in the race.