'24 No. 1 Naasir Cunningham intrigued by Kentucky, hoping to visit

Naasir Cunningham, a 6-foot-7 wing out of West Orange, NJ, has emerged as the No. 1 prospect in the class of 2024. It’s a status that has come with an extensive list of offers and interest from high-major programs.

“It’s going well. A lot of interest from a lot of coaches, getting a couple of scholarships,” Cunningham told KSR at Nike EYBL Session II in Indianapolis. “I’m going to keep working and see what comes for me.”

Among the new additions?

“My recent ones are Kansas, Duke, Georgia, a couple other schools,” he said.

His total offer list also includes the likes of Creighton, DePaul, LSU, Maryland, New Mexico State, Rutgers, St. John’s, TCU and UCLA. And that’s not even counting the schools expressing strong interest and weighing scholarship offers. Kentucky fits in that category.

“I have interest from Kentucky, don’t have a scholarship,” Cunningham told KSR. “I’m sure they’ve been in contact with my parents. We’re just going to keep working.”

Could a visit to Lexington come? His parents do the heavy lifting with his recruitment in terms of setting up trips, but he hopes so.

“I don’t normally handle that stuff, but I’m sure my parents are working something out,” he said. “That is definitely a school I do want to visit.”

There are no official recruiting predictions for Cunningham among the top outlets, but Duke is a school many see as an early contender to land the versatile wing. His grassroots head coach, Andy Borman of the NY Renaissance, played for the Blue Devils and maintains a strong relationship with the program. His most recent star with the Rens, Kyle Filipowski, just signed with Duke in 2022.

Duke head coach Jon Scheyer has begun laying the groundwork with Cunningham.

“I like him as a coach,” the five-star prospect told KSR. “He’s built a nice relationship with my family. We’ll see what happens from there.”

Any other visits in the work at this point in time? “Not right now,” he said.

It’s still early — he’s still a sophomore in high school. When the time does come for a decision, though, Cunningham knows exactly what he’s looking for in a college.

“A nice coaching staff and teammates that make me feel welcome, family environment and a balance of athletics and education,” he told KSR.

Cunningham is a long, versatile wing who makes plays on both ends of the floor. He’s a confident shooter from three and the mid-range while also using his length to finish around the rim. A threat in the passing lanes, the 6-foot-7 prospect thrives in transition, growing more consistent with making the right reads. He’s got to get stronger and continue to initiate rather than settle for contested jump shots, but the potential is clear.

Cunningham is officially on Kentucky’s radar, watching him every game this weekend in Indianapolis. Is an offer on the horizon?