We ran a long story in The Chronicle today about the impact Mike Krzyzewski's Olympic experience will have on recruiting and, pertinently, has already had on recruiting. Since he returned from Beijing, Coach K has accrued commitments from two Class of 2010 four-stars, Josh Hairston and Tyler Thornton, and Class of 2009 five-star Ryan Kelly. Now, Krzyzewski turns his attention to two five-star, elite recruits: 2009's No. 2 shooting guard, Kenny Boynton, and 2010's top-ranked small forward, Harrison Barnes.
Dave Telep, scout.com's national recruiting director, lauded Boynton, saying he could be the final piece of a national championship puzzle for Duke. More than anything, though, we think a potential Boynton commitment could make the Blue Devils' 2009 class the best in the country. It would feature three five-stars in Kelly, Boynton and Mason Plumlee.
"I believe Kenny Boynton is one of the few guys in this class who you can look at and say, 'If that guy goes to one of a handful of places, they have a legitimate opportunity to win a national championship,'" Telep said of Boynton, who scheduled his official visit to Duke for the weekend of Nov. 8. "I think he's that much of a game-changer in terms of how he's wired, who he is as a player and how he enacts winning."
Barnes, who is slated to visit campus this weekend, would be another coup for Krzyzewski and his staff. The 6-foot-6, 190-pound small forward would join Hairston, Thornton and Andre Dawkins in the 2010 class—and if Duke could somehow secure top-ranked player and point guard Brandon Knight, too, it would undoubtedly be the best in the country and perhaps the best for Duke in recent memory.
The scary part? Most analysts think the Olympic win will resonate louder in the future rather than the immediate.
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