Matthew Hurt decides on Duke
Matthew Hurt, the 6-foot-9 basketball phenom from Rochester’s John Marshall High School, will play his college hoops at Duke University.
Hurt made the highly-anticipated announcement Friday afternoon in front of supporters and onlookers gathered at J-M’s auditorium.
His choice to play for legendary coach Mike Krzyzewski at Duke ends months of intense speculation on where he would play his college ball.
Up until today, the J-M senior had been one of the few remaining five-star recruits in the country left to announce a decision. Media reports stated Hurt had also been considering North Carolina, Kansas and Kentucky.
Over the course of his varsity career, Hurt scored 3,819 points — making him one of the most prolific basketball players in Minnesota history.
This past season, his final as a Rocket, he averaged 37 points and 12 rebounds a game — proving throughout the season that he could blend power with an ability to hit the outside shot. His performance on the court his senior year earned him the honor of Minnesota Mr. Basketball for 2019, along with a spot on the McDonald’s All-American team.
Going into the spring signing season, ESPN ranked Hurt the number 10 prospect in the country. In addition to Duke, he received offers from a number of NCAA Division I programs, including the University of Minnesota, where his elder brother, Michael, plays college hoops.
In becoming a Duke Blue Devil, the almost-19-year-old Hurt joins a coach who is widely considered one of the greatest in the history of men’s college basketball. “Coach K,” as he is known informally, has led teams to 12 Final Fours and won five national championships.
For Krzyzewski, who visited Rochester to watch Hurt play this past season at J-M, this is his second big Minnesota recruit in recent years. Also on the roster is Tre Jones, a point guard from Apple Valley High School.
Cover: Screenshot / courtesy Rochester Public Schools
