If there’s another rivalry in sports that comes anywhere close to UNC-Duke, please let me know.
The Tar Heels and Blue Devils go way back, with the most highly-anticipated battles in the Tobacco Road Rivalry coming in men’s basketball. It doesn’t matter how either team is doing – the battle always promises to entertain.
Off the court, North Carolina and Duke also battle for recruits. Players come to UNC and play a team sport, while Duke is largely a stepping stone for the NBA.
The current recruiting battle focuses on Class of 2025 5-star guard Cayden Boozer, son of former Blue Devils star Carlos Boozer. The latter Boozer help Duke capture the 2001 NCAA Championship.
Cayden, who played at the Nike EYBL Session in Atlanta, Ga. from May 3-5, spoke a bit about the Tar Heels recruiting him.
.@nightrydaselite point guard Cayden Boozer checked in at @NikeEYB to clear up the latest regarding his recruitment and dished on what he’ll ultimately weigh heavily when it comes time to make a decision.
Boozer checks in at No. 14 overall in the ESPN 100. pic.twitter.com/xENyFw1MLZ
— League Ready (@LeagueRDY) May 4, 2024
“The schools that have been contacting me the most this whole recruiting process have been Duke, Miami, Florida, UNC, Arkansas now since [John Calipari left Kentucky],” Boozer told LeagueReady. “Those are mostly the main schools that have been talking to me lately. Obviously, there’s a Duke tie. But I mean, my decision is my decision. It’s not my dad’s or anyone’s. It’s my decision. It’s what I have to do for myself and my future…Being a point guard, you have to have a coach that you have a good relationship with and can trust you making decisions on the floor. I want to go to a winning culture.”
If Boozer truly wants to go to a winning culture, North Carolina provides the best option of the schools he listed above. After all, UNC did sweep Duke last year and has a National Championship edge over Boozer’s other suitors.
Follow us @TarHeelsWire on X and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of North Carolina Tar Heels news, notes and opinions.