Duke basketball head coach Jon Scheyer (Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports)
Duke basketball on board with recruit playing two sports
As of Monday, Worcester Academy (Mass.) power forward TJ Power has five finalists: his Duke basketball suitors plus Boston College, Iowa, UNC, and Virginia.
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Yet technically speaking, the 6-foot-8, 210-pound rising high school senior, who doubles as a standout pitcher, is still considering 10 programs. That's because Power has also been researching each school's baseball program.
Yes, Power hopes to at least test his powerful arm — reports on the speed of his fastball range from the high 80s to low 90s — at the college level. And this week, he told SI.com national recruiting insider Jason Jordan that he has "had really good conversations" with the baseball coaches at each of the schools remaining on his list.
Furthermore, Power noted to Jordan that none of the basketball coaches in the pursuit are against the idea of his dual-sport aspirations:
"I'll have the opportunity to try and play both. It's not like I'm coming in expecting to start and play a bunch of innings. I just want to be in a developed program and see how far I can go with that. All of the basketball coaches are on board with the idea."
The Duke basketball program isn't exactly known for being home to dual-sport athletes of Power's caliber recently. But it's interesting to see first-year Blue Devil head coach Jon Scheyer, whose recruiting genius has landed Duke in the top spot on the 247Sports Team Rankings in both the 2022 and 2023 arenas, keeping an open mind.
Reviewing the Duke basketball recruiting target's talents and timeline
One could say that TJ Power's height, vision, and flick-of-the-wrist jumpers generally fit the mold of former All-ACC Duke stretch-four Matthew Hurt. Power appears bouncier than Hurt, though, not to mention a better defender.
However, unlike Hurt, a five-star prospect for most of his prep career, Power lacks the coveted fifth star in his rating.
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Still, he ranks No. 63 overall on the 247Sports 2023 Composite. And as Jason Jordan implied in his article, Power should climb the rankings in light of the Offensive MVP and Defensive MVP hardware he collected at premier Nike EYBL showcases in July.
For now, Power seems to be the only target remaining on Duke's realistic 2023 wishlist.
He took official visits to Duke and UNC during the same week in late July — his other finalists have also hosted him — and is eyeing late September as the most likely timeframe for his decision.
Meanwhile, the 247Sports Crystal Ball and Rivals FutureCast for TJ Power sit empty.
Stay tuned to Blue Devil Country for more Duke basketball recruiting updates.