While most fans see Countdown to Craziness as a time to see and get to know the new team, it is a critical event for the Duke coaching staff to recruit highly-touted prospects and impress them with the rowdy Section 17.
This year was no different as head coach Mike Krzyzewski and his staff brought six five-star recruits to Cameron Indoor Stadium to witness the craziness.
Of most importance was power forward Zion Williamson, the No. 2 prospect in the Class of 2018. Williamson is highly sought out for his incredible athleticism, which he has shown off with jaw-dropping dunks and blocks throughout his high school career. His recruitment has seen no clear favorite emerge, with the Blue Devils, Kansas, Kentucky, North Carolina and hometown school Clemson all in the mix for his services.
Five-star 2018 Duke commit Cameron Reddish has been trying hard to recruit both Williamson and No. 1 overall recruit R.J. Barrett to Durham for next season.
"We're talking with them a lot man, a lot," Reddish told 247Sports. "They have a lot of different schools in their mind and I'm respectful that it's their decisions, they are doing their own thing with their process. We just have a lot of normal conversations with them."
Although all three play primarily power forward, the team would certainly be title contenders, as that would represent the top three players in the class all at Duke along with top point guard Tre Jones—who already committed to the Blue Devils.
On the Class of 2019 front, Matthew Hurt, Joey Baker and Armando Bacot all made the trip to the Bull City. Hurt is the No. 5 player in the ESPN 60 and the No. 2 power forward, behind just the the top player in the class, James Wiseman.
Baker, who is the No. 3 power forward in the class, is a North Carolina native who plays for Trinity Christian School, which is about 90 minutes from campus. Coach K historically loves versatile forwards—Brandon Ingram, Justise Winslow, and Jayson Tatum immediately come to mind—which allows them to play small or big lineups depending on the game situation. Bacot, a center from Richmond, Va., rounded out the 2019 targets in attendance.
Although it might seem a bit premature, Duke is already looking at top prospects from the Class of 2020. The Blue Devils brought in the top player in the class in Isaiah Todd, who plays power forward, and hosted the No. 1 point guard in R.J. Hampton.
By the middle of the night, all six recruits were in the student section with the Cameron Crazies. If they were impressed by the passion of the fans and the potential development the Duke program has to offer, future Duke teams may have some of the top players in country, much like the squad that was just rolled out this weekend.
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