Harrison Barnes recruiting battle: where on Tobacco Road will he end up?

For those that are unaware, yesterday (October 5th) was the last day that college coaches were allowed to visit recruits in their homes. For the last 27 days, coaches have been in and out of the homes of the best recruits all over the country.

The process is usually pretty simple - a coach comes in the home of a recruit and tries to impress the family with, among other things, a spiel about how great his team, and his university, is. When it is done, the coach tries to lock up a commitment from that recruit. If there is no committing to be done, the coach tries to land an official visit from said recruit. When he finishes this little song and dance, he is off on his merry way to try and persuade another young mind that his school is the place to be.

Pretty standard stuff, and usually nothing too exciting occurs.

Unless, of course, you are the best player in the country.

Then something exciting always occurs.

Take Harrison Barnes for example.

Harrison Barnes has Roy Williams at his beck and call.
(photo credit: SLAM)

Duke has long been considered the favorite to land Barnes, who many consider to be the best player in the country. But last month Barnes attended UNC's alumni game and was smitten by the chance to rub elbows with Michael Jordan, as any 17 year old basketball player, regardless of talent level, would be.

In an effort to get the last word in edgewise, Coach K requested that he be the last coach to have an in home visit with Barnes. That visit took place yesterday evening, and apparently had quite an effect on Barnes.

Enough of an effect that he decided he needed to meet with Roy Williams one more time face-to-face.

So Barnes calls the UNC athletics office, but Roy Williams is not in. Someone locates Williams, tells him that Barnes wants to see him, and before the night is over Williams makes it to Ames, Iowa via private jet to have one last sit down with Barnes before the season beings.

Think about that. Roy Williams, who was more than likely on his way home on a Monday evening, dropped everything and chartered a plane to Ames, Iowa, just to have a chance to be the last coach to talk to this kid before the contact period ended.

Ahhh...

There is nothing better than a good old-fashioned recruiting war.