2013 Duke target Austin Nichols is expected to decide on his future college destination in the next few weeks.
The 6’8″ forward from Tennessee took his final official visit to Auburn this past weekend, after which he plans to take a couple weeks before coming to a final decision on a school. Nichols has already taken official visits to Virginia, Duke, Vanderbilt and Tennessee, as well as an unofficial visit to Memphis. There are unconfirmed rumors that Nichols plans to make his decision televised on ESPNU. If the rumors turn out to be true, fans can tune in on that day he decides and hear his choice live.
Tennessee and Duke are thought to have been the top two for Nichols for quite some time now, with many rumors flying around that Tennessee has the edge. Each school has different important upsides to offer Nichols.
Tennessee is a school that is close to home for Nichols. If he goes there he can be close to friends and family and stay in his comfort zone. His sister goes to Tennessee and his good friend Robert Hubbs, a fellow 2013 class recruit has already committed to the Vols. Tennesse has more of a laid back atmosphere then Duke, and less of the high expectations. There is also a very real chance that Nichols will start as a freshmen from day one at Tennessee, which looks to be a less likely at Duke. All of these things combine to make Tennessee a very appealing destination for Nichols.
Duke, offers Nichols very different opportunities. At Duke, he can come out of his comfort zone and be at a top basketball school where, under the guidance of Coach K, he can make advances as a player and as a person. He can be part of a team that has possible title aspirations and is always at the center of the college basketball world. It has also come out into the open that Nichols father Mark, believes that a more open offense like Duke’s is a better fit for his son then Tennessee’s offense. In the end, Nichols’ decision will come down to what is important to him and what he wants to get out of his college experience.
