NCAA Basketball Recruiting: Analyzing 2021 Paolo Banchero’s final 6 teams

Duke Blue Devils

The list of big men that have excelled with head coach Mike Krzyzewski could be as long as an encyclopedia, with recent examples including Marvin Bagley, Zion Williamson, Wendell Carter Jr. and All-ACC center Vernon Carey Jr. A new crop of young frontcourt players is joining the Blue Devils for next season, including top-30 center Mark Williams, four-star forward Henry Coleman and Columbia grad transfer Patrick Tape.

Williams is the key here, as he could clog up the center position for the year after. But with prospects like this, it usually goes one of two ways. Either they play well enough to go pro after one season or struggles and accept a bench role as a sophomore, similar to what happened with Javin DeLaurier and Marques Bolden. Regardless, Banchero would be the starting center for Duke if he wanted to.

With top-10 2021 recruit AJ Griffin already committed, the Blue Devils are looking for yet another top-2 recruiting class. Banchero is the high-profile big man that they’re after and with several other five-stars looking at Duke, they could have as many as four top-10 prospects overall in that class. But when it comes to individual desires, is that the best thing for a player trying to showcase themselves for the NBA Draft? Duke has an outstanding shot at Banchero but will have to overcome others also in a great position.