Irish Hoops Visitor List - Navy Weekend

Former Notre Dame Fighting Irish forward target Javin DeLaurier visited earlier this football season for the Texas game, oddly enough the school which was perceived to be Notre Dame's biggest competition for the Virginia big man. However, there was always a giant looming in the background, as DeLaurier considers himself a big Duke fan and would likely always be Coach K's if he wanted.

That's exactly what happened following his visit to Notre Dame. Duke picked up their interest after virtually not recruiting Javin previously and was able to blow by the likes of Shaka Smart and Mike Brey, who had both been following DeLaurier around the country all summer, to land the commitment. DeLaurier's will be an interesting career to watch in Durham, as it is possible that he gets buried behind a Harry Giles or Chase Jeter, while we know he would've likely started and been a focal point from day one in South Bend.

This weekend, however, Notre Dame will look to shake off the sting of DeLaurier's Duke commitment, as they host five star big man Jarrett Allen from Texas. This visit came as a last-minute surprise to the media and to the coaching staff. Though the staff had invited Allen for next weekend's football game against USC, the Allen family preferred this weekend, which Notre Dame is more than happy to accommodate.

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Allen is an elite option for Notre Dame, as he comes in at 21st overall in the country according to 247's composite rankings. He has tremendous potential with a long, athletic frame and well-developed game around the basket. That said, Allen remains unlikely to be a one-and-done type player, as he likely needs to add some weight to his frame and has a funky delivery with his shot that makes him very inconsistent, especially from the free throw line.

Allen projects well to Notre Dame compared to many of the bluebloods in the running, as he comes from a similar environment at his high school and loathes to spotlight that recruiting has put on him. The recruiting media is quick to point out how little Allen likes to talk, and that includes to coaches recruiting him, who will sometimes go weeks without hearing from him. The Irish will wisely have similarly mild-mannered V.J. Beachem host Allen for his visit.

His visit to Notre Dame is his first official visit, though he has visited nearby Texas before unofficially. Scoring the first official for a five-star big speaks well to Mike Brey and company's efforts here. His top eight includes Notre Dame as well as Houston, Indiana, Kansas, Kansas State, Kentucky, North Carolina and Texas. Following news of the surprise visit, 247's hoops recruiting expert Jerry Meyer chimed in with a crystal ball to Notre Dame.

We'll see what kind of headway the Irish can make in this recruitment this weekend.

Joining Allen in South Bend this weekend will be Canadian shooting guard Nikola Djogo. Brey and assistant Anthony Solomon have been relentlessly recruiting Djogo ever since offering about a month ago. He recently became the teammate of the only other current Irish target, Thon Maker, who is set to visit next weekend.

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Djogo is completely off the recruiting sites' radars until recently, but he will likely get an evaluation from all of them this high school season. He has a few low-to-mid major offers but is now being recruited by some high majors. Brey is just the only one who has pulled the trigger and wants Djogo to do the same before his recruitment blows up too much in the coming months.

Among the higher level competition are Butler, Michigan, Stanford, UNLV, Wichita State, and Wisconsin, in addition to former tourney foes Northeastern and Winthrop. Djogo has a bit of Canadian national team experience and would come in as an extremely well-rounded wing player who could easily play the 2, 3, or 4 for Brey. He has a great left-handed shooting stroke, is a willing and smart passer, can get to the hoop with his left, and is a high-effort, long-armed defender on the perimeter.

It wouldn't surprise me at all if Djogo committed to Notre Dame following the weekend. They came in with his first major offer and he appears to really be buying what Brey is selling him as a fit in the program and at the school. He would be a great compliment to Gibbs, Mooney, and hopefully Allen or Maker.

Upcoming Visitor List - 10/17

C Thon Maker (Canada)