Duke basketball Offer to Coveted Combo Guard Seems Possible
For now, Duke basketball is one of five finalists for Don Bosco Prep (N.J.) combo guard Dylan Harper, who sits No. 2 on the 247Sports 2024 Composite and is the son of five-time NBA champion Ron Harper. But despite the lone Crystal Ball pick pegging the Blue Devils as the favorite, there's no guarantee he'll commit to Jon Scheyer.
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Perhaps one alternate plan for that position is Archbishop Stepinac (N.Y.) combo guard Boogie Fland. He's a 6-foot-3, 175-pound five-star and gifted playmaker who ranks No. 6 overall in the class and No. 2 behind Harper among combo guards.
Not only did Fland tell Rivals' Rob Cassidy that he has noticed Scheyer in attendance for some of his recent Nike EYBL action, but in an article on Saturday, Cassidy noted the possibility of Fland landing a Duke basketball offer:
"Fland's recruitment has been kept somewhat close to the vest since its start, but the picture is starting to clear now. Kentucky, St. John's, UConn, Michigan, and Alabama feel like teams to watch. A Duke offer is possible down the road and has the potential to impact things."
The Blue Devils have enjoyed recent success with one Archbishop Stepinac talent. Fland's former teammate, AJ Griffin, was a lights-out 3-point shooter as a Duke basketball one-and-done before hearing his name at No. 16 overall to the Atlanta Hawks at last summer's NBA Draft.
And it's worth noting that Fland was among the first players in his class to hear from the Blue Devils last June when college coaches were first allowed to reach out directly to 2024 prospects.
There haven't been many reports of Duke basketball interest in Boogie Fland ever since. Yet Scheyer's vigorous pursuit of Harper is probably the reason for that.
Sure, Duke may not need a large 2024 haul and already has commitments from two heralded juniors in five-star small forward Isaiah Evans and four-star small forward Darren Harris.
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However, the Blue Devils will likely lose sophomore-to-be guard Tyrese Proctor to the NBA after next season. That's not to mention the possibility of incoming five-star guards Caleb Foster and Jared McCain spending only one year in college.
So one would think Scheyer and his crew hope to reel in at least one top-shelf 2024 guard.
Again, Harper could be the answer. If not, though, keep an eye on Boogie Fland.
Stay tuned to Blue Devil Country for more Duke basketball recruiting updates.