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Duke Basketball Now Looks Like 'Team to Beat' for Explosive Prep
Earlier this week, Rivals' Rob Cassidy ranked the Duke basketball recruiters last among the three finalists for Long Island Lutheran (N.Y.) senior VJ Edgecombe. Even so, he explained that there seems to be little separation between the Blue Devils, Baylor, and his perceived frontrunner, Kentucky.
Then, on Thursday afternoon, Burner Ball recruiting insider "Trilly Donovan" noted that he's recently heard Duke is now the favorite to land the 6-foot-5, 180-pound guard:
"In recent days I’ve had sources tell me Duke is the team to beat for Edgecombe..."
He pointed out that the five-star has not informed any of his suitors of his decision but added that Edgecombe, No. 5 overall on the 247Sports 2024 Composite, is "likely to announce" a winner at the Hoophall Classic in Springfield, Mass., Jan. 11-15.
Long Island Lutheran's first of two games in that event is on Jan. 13 at 4 p.m. ET against Columbus High School (Fla.), featuring two 2025 Blue Devil targets in the Boozer twins, Cameron and Cayden, sons of 2001 Duke national champ Carlos Boozer. Two days later, at 3 p.m., Edgecombe and his squad face AZ Compass Prep.
So, if what "Trilly Donovan" reported from his sources turns out to be correct, chances are the explosive talent, now the highest-ranked undecided recruit in the cycle, will reveal his college choice during one of those two contests.
As of this article's publishing, all five expert predictions between the 247Sports Crystal Ball and Rivals FutureCast point to the Blue Devils coming out on top.
VJ Edgecombe is one of two potential additions to what is already a five-deep, top-ranked 2024 Duke basketball recruiting haul. The other is NBA Academy Africa five-star center Khaman Maluach, recently reclassified from 2025.
Stay tuned to Blue Devil Country on SI.com for more Duke basketball recruiting news.