The Most Important 96 Hours in Oregon Basketball Recruiting History

R.J. Barrett, the No. 1 prospect in the 2018 basketball class is set to visit Oregon this weekend. Additionally, 5-star prospect Louis King is making his college decision tonight.

The Canadian was originally slated in the 2019 class but reclassified after an incredible summer that saw him lead Team Canada to Gold at the U19 World Cup.

His teammate from those games, Duck freshman Abu Kigab is playing a pivotal role in his recruiting process. Barrett is a program-changing talent that amassed 38 points and 13 rebounds against a U19 USA Team that hadn’t lost in six years.

The recruiting trail is already on fire with every major program making a play for Barrett. The one area where Oregon has a major advantage is within their Canadian pipeline. The Ducks need to solidify their territory in The North with this prized recruit.

Here is how Barrett’s recruiting visit schedule breaks down:

He will arrive in Eugene on Saturday and depart on Monday during the day.

However, Barrett is not the ONLY big ticket item with yellow and green possibly on his path. 5-star prospect Louis King will make his college announcement Thursday night and Oregon is a major player.

If he were to commit to Oregon, the Ducks would be serious title contenders in 2018 assuming that Troy Brown Jr. stays for his sophomore campaign and Miles Norris arrives on campus.

In all honesty, the next 96 hours could “potentially” go a long way in determining Oregon’s basketball future.

Will UO continue to be a team on the rise, depending on players like Jordan Bell, Dillon Brooks and Tyler Dorsey who excel beyond their paper evaluations?

Or is this the transition period from great to the elite where the blue blood programs recruit?

Instead of earning it with wins and losses, Oregon could rely on their reputation to snag the most-coveted basketball players in high school like Duke, Kansas, and UCLA does annually.

This 2018 class is the Ducks best opportunity to spread their wings and fly into their first title appearance since the 1939 season.

Speaking of spreading one's wings, Luguentz Dort will make his college decision in the very near future, as well. The 5-star product is deciding between Oregon, Miami, Indiana, Michigan State, Arizona State and Baylor.

Dort and King visited head coach Dana Altman and Oregon earlier this month (9/9).

According to sources, the two prospects really enjoyed their time in Eugene. Not to mention, they were able to witness Autzen Stadium at a fever pitch vs Nebraska alongside Bell, Brooks, Dorsey and most of the 2016-17 Final Four team.

As mentioned earlier this summer, some of the best prospects from the 2018 class are seriously interested in the Ducks. Future stars like Simi Shittu, Bol Bol and Eric Ayala to name a few.

A national title could be around the corner with the signature of any of these kids. Nevertheless, recruiting is an arduous process where the program, the players, and the fans must remain patient. This is a major decision for everyone involved. Yet, the benefits from the right decision can last a lifetime.

We will stay on top of it in the coming days and weeks. For now, we focus our attention on the announcement of Louis King on Thursday.

Stay tuned, if you want to; Twitter @TheQuackFiend Gram @eugene_levys_eyebrows