The arrival of the annual Peach Jam — the most well-known event on the grassroots circuit where basketball’s top talents showcase their skills in front of evaluators — marks in earnest the end of the current recruiting cycle as teams turn their attention to the future for the July recruiting period. So what do we watch for as the next cycle kicks into high gear?
Well, dear reader, I’m glad you asked.
As you might have guessed, the top talents and programs are drawing plenty of attention in the cycle already. Duke, North Carolina and Kentucky are among those either at the top of the rankings or projected to finish there at some point in the near future. The top players in the class, though — including three of the top five at 247Sports — are still uncommitted, meaning things can and probably will shift in the coming days, weeks and months. So as we project and get a feel for how things might go, I’ve put pen to paper below for how I think things could go.
Here’s a primer for what we know and what could be on the horizon as the July recruiting period heats up.
Duke, UNC in the mix to secure top class
Duke coach Jon Scheyer has been an ace recruiter dating back to his days as an assistant, but he has not yet sealed the deal with a No. 1 class since taking the reins of the Blue Devils program from Mike Krzyzewski. (Duke did piece together a No. 1 class in 2022 as Scheyer was taking over.) That could change in 2024. Duke already has a top-10 class in the cycle and is a serious contender to land No. 1 overall prospect Dylan Harper, which would put it in the mix for (another) top-five class … and possibly better.
One possible obstacle for Duke: Its Tobacco Road rival, North Carolina. With two top-15 commitments already in tow, the Tar Heels have the current No. 1 class in 2024 and are well-positioned to add to their treasure trove of talent, too.
The way college basketball has changed in recent years, top recruiting classes bring less value than in the past — especially given how impactful transfers have been in the NIL era — but a No. 1 class still carries a ton of weight and cache in the sport.
Rutgers — yes, that’s right, Rutgers — has the No. 2 class in the 247Sports Team Rankings for the 2024 cycle. Rutgers! That seems unlikely to hold with Kentucky, North Carolina, Kentucky and other major brands recruiting at a high level, but …. what if it does hold? This class has a foundational piece already in Airious Bailey, a five-star and the No. 2 player in the class, and two other nice four-star complementary pieces. And it appears to still be in play for other big names. As teams fill out their classes, my bet is that Rutgers slips a bit, but it is recruiting well above its normal pace in the cycle. Coach Steve Pikiell’s ability to punch above his weight against big dogs is impressive.
Kentucky’s standing in the landscape shifting?
Kentucky has spun its wheels on the court in recent years, and its influence in the recruiting realm anecdotally feels as if it has shrunk a bit. UK put together the No. 1 class in 2023, but its early start to 2024 is less promising with only one commit and a No. 20 ranking nationally. Its fortunes could change with Karter Knox (former UK star Kevin Knox’s brother) and Tre Johnson — both five-star talents — giving the Wildcats consideration, but the way this is headed, it’s going to be a challenge for them to finish with the No. 1 class — or to even contend for No. 1 given how well Duke and UNC are positioned.
Race for No. 1
One year ago, Naas Cunningham was the No. 1 talent in the 2024 class, but a lot has changed in that time. Similar to last year’s class, there has not yet been a player to emerge as the No. 1 prospect in the cycle. For now, that honor belongs to uncommitted guard Dylan Harper, but Rutgers commit Airious Bailey, Tre Johnson, Ian Jackson and others are still very much in play to take that spot from him.
