Blue Devil Country

Recent Five-Star Duke Basketball Visitor Suddenly Visiting Kentucky

Duke basketball is in the mix for VJ Edgecombe, but now so is another blueblood.
Matt Giles|
Photo credit: Rob Kinnan-USA TODAY Sports

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Long Island Lutheran (N.Y.) five-star senior and Duke basketball recruiting target VJ Edgecombe will take an official visit to Kentucky this weekend, 247Sports' Travis Branham reported on Wednesday.

RELATED: List of Every Recruit Holding a Duke Offer

Also on Wednesday, national recruiting insider Andrew Slater posted that Duke basketball assistant Jai Lucas was at Long Island Lutheran to check in on the 6-foot-5, 180-pound guard. Two weeks ago, Lucas and head coach Jon Scheyer were there ahead of Edgecombe's trip to Durham last weekend for an official visit.

With the above in mind, another battle might be brewing between the nation's two premier recruiting powerhouses.

Interestingly, Kentucky head coach John Calipari waited until September to extend an offer to Edgecombe, two months after the electric bucket-getter announced a top 10 in his recruitment. Duke is on that list. The others are Alabama, Baylor, Florida, Florida State, Miami, Michigan, St. John's, UConn, and G League Ignite.

Edgecombe, who ranks No. 6 overall and No. 1 in New York on the 247Sports 2024 Composite, attended the Blue Devils' Countdown to Craziness on Friday night, the first day of his three-day Duke basketball visit. He was alongside two other prime 2024 targets: five-star forward Cooper Flagg and five-star center Patrick Ngongba II.

It's also worth pointing out that the two Duke coaches' trip to New York to see VJ Edgecombe earlier this month was the same week the coveted prospect canceled his official visit to Michigan.

Following this weekend's trip to Kentucky, Edgecombe still has two more official visits on tap: to Alabama on Nov. 4 and Florida State on Nov. 11. Florida hosted him in September, and Baylor did so the first weekend of October.

He hasn't specified a timetable for deciding on a college, but some insiders have noted that he may wait until the spring.

Meanwhile, Duke's 2024 haul remains three deep with commitments from five-star small forward Isaiah Evans, five-star small forward Kon Knueppel, and four-star small forward Darren Harris.

Three Huge Duke Targets Pose Together in Special Jerseys

Stay tuned to Blue Devil Country on SI.com for more Duke basketball recruiting news.

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Matt Giles
MATT GILES

Matt Giles is the editor and publisher of Duke Blue Devils on SI, North Carolina Tar Heels on SI, and NC State Wolfpack on SI, making him a key source for comprehensive coverage of these storied college basketball programs. Since joining SI in 2022, Matt has been dedicated to providing in-depth analysis, breaking news, and exclusive content on all three teams. He covers everything from game previews and recaps to player profiles and recruiting updates. Matt's expert knowledge of these teams has made his work a go-to resource for fans and followers of Duke, NC State, and UNC. As publisher, he shapes the editorial direction, ensuring that the most relevant and timely information reaches his audience.

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