Trevor Keels, one of the top prospects in the 2021 recruiting class, has narrowed his list of schools down to three. Keels, a 5-star shooting guard from Fairfax (Va.), could end up deciding between two ACC powerhouses, too. The 6-foot-5 wing has a final three of Virginia, Duke and Villanova — all elite programs along the East Coast.
Keels grades as a top 15 overall prospect in the 2021 class and the No. 2 shooting guard, according to 247 Sports.
2021 five-star Trevor Keels is down to three schools: Duke, Virginia, and Villanova.
🎨 @ksmith_art_ pic.twitter.com/CwMeDNVXT7
— Joe Tipton (@TiptonEdits) September 9, 2020
UNC was one of the programs that Keels cut from his list.
Versatility is the name of the game for Keels, who can handle with some craft and score from three-four levels. It’s easy to see him working as a fit in all three of these systems.
During his three seasons at Paul VI, Keels has achieved great success, which started his freshman season with all-conference honors. As a sophomore, Keels averaged 15.6 points and 2.3 assists per game. Keels has also participated in multiple USA Junior National Team minicamps.
Looking at the teams
Keels played at Paul VI with freshman Duke point guard Jeremy Roach, who committed to the Blue Devils back in May 2019. Roach is a solid rookie guard, but doesn’t project as a one-and-one prospect; this sets up the scenario where Keels could reunite with Roach in Durham for the 2021-22 season. Keels received an offer from Duke last December.
Coach K and Duke are also in the midst of assembling a monster 2021 class, which could include Keels. The Blue Devils already have commitments from 5-star forwards AJ Griffin and Paolo Banchero, arguably the top two players in the class.
Paolo just blessed him🚨😱 Do you think he deserves to be the top ranked senior⁉️ @Pp_doesit pic.twitter.com/M3m29RbNUg
— SLAM HS Hoops (@SLAM_HS) September 6, 2020
Duke is the current favorite to land Patrick Baldwin Jr., a 6-foot-9 forward rated by 247 Sports as the No. 1 overall player in the class. If Duke were to land both Baldwin Jr. and Keels, it would give the Blue Devils four of the top 15 players in the class.
https://twitter.com/Ross_homan1/status/1265669971952181250
After he reclassified to the 2021 recruiting class, Duke quickly made 5-star Montverde Academy forward Caleb Houstan a priority of sorts, too.
Virginia has yet to land a 2021 commitment; however, Rice transfer Trey Murphy III is set to redshirt the 2020-21 season and can function as a new rotation piece in 21-22. Tony Bennett’s program will also welcome arguably his best recruiting class (2020) since his arrival in Charlottesville. (Although it will be hard to compete with the 2016 bunch, which included De’Andre Hunter, Kyle Guy, Ty Jerome and Jay Huff.)
The 2020 class is headlined by Jabri Abdur-Rahim and Reece Beekman.
Collin Moore out the game, JAR goes to work. Really difficult shot on the move pic.twitter.com/0uNrGdlGht
— Mike Gribanov – NBA Draft, Youth BBall analysis (@mikegrib8) September 5, 2020
Over the last decade or so, UVA and Villanova have morphed into not only two of the premier programs in the country, but also two of the best at developing good prep prospects into readymade NBA role players.
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UVA adds another offensive piece with Rice transfer Trey Murphy III