Ryan Kelly, a 6-foot-10 forward from Raleigh (NC) Ravenscroft School, will announce his intention to play for Duke University tonight at 6:30 p.m. on ESPNU’s Recruiting Insider, according to sources.
Kelly selected Duke over Notre Dame, North Carolina, Wake Forest, Vanderbilt and Georgetown.
Ravenscroft head coach Kevin Billerman said he did not know which school Kelly was going to choose.
“I don’t know,” he said Thursday afternoon. “He is with his parents on their way to Charlotte (to an ESPNU studio).”
Kelly, the No. 8 power forward in the Class of 2009 according to Rivals, spent the weekend at North Carolina watching the Tar Heels football team beat UConn. He has taken officials to Vanderbilt, Notre Dame, Georgetown and Wake Forest, and also visited Duke and North Carolina on several occasions.
“I think all of the universities presented their programs exceptionally well,” Billerman said. “I don’t think there was a bad pick in that group.”
Kelly, who played for the U18 National Team this summer, wasn’t originally being recruited by Duke and many thought it was a UNC/Notre Dame battle. But just before the Olympics, Ryan’s parents called Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski to set up a sit-down.
They then met on Duke’s campus and Coach K offered when he felt that Ryan’s interest was genuine.
“Ryan will be a 6-10 inside-outside player that averaged 24 points for us last year playing in the post,” Billerman said.
(Photo courtesy USA Basketball)
Daytime_J / October 9, 2008
If this is true, this kid ain’t as smart as he’s been made out to be. Seriously, Duke does a great job developing big men. No really.
Good luck on your voyage to irrelevance, Ryan!
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