Former Illinois Basketball Target Dame Sarr Selects a Destination: Duke

The Dame Sarr saga officially came to a close on Thursday afternoon when the Italian sensation committed to Duke.Sarr’s whirlwind of a recruitment began with the 6-foot-7 wing being considered a lock for Illinois, but after coach Brad Underwood scooped coveted Cal transfer wing Andrej Stojakovic instead, the Illini reportedly backed out of the Sarr sweepstakes.

Within days, Kansas and coach Bill Self became the frontrunner. After hosting Sarr for a visit in Lawrence, all signs pointed toward an impending commitment to the Jayhawks.

But then Duke – which had been linked to Sarr in the early stages of his recruitment – reentered the race. With incoming transfer wing Cedric Coward now expected to stay in the NBA Draft after climbing up draft boards behind an eye-catching combine performance, the Blue Devils were forced to scramble to find another perimeter option. Ultimately, Duke brought in Sarr, who is listed as On3 Sports’ 17th-ranked prospect in the Class of 2025.