One center's decision could change the landscape of college basketball

He could truly change the college basketball landscape next season.

RELATED: Marques Bolden narrows list of schools

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Marques Bolden is a five-star center who's decision on which college he's going to could change the course of next season. He was expected to make his decision this past weekend at the Jordan Brand Classic or even on Sunday when he turned 18. However, the decision still hasn't come and that's keeping two schools from claiming the top spot in the recruiting cycle.

Kentucky and Duke are the two schools vying for the 6'10", 240-pound center and they are waiting with bated breath. One person following the recruiting process closely says that Bolden could make his choice at any time.

"I've spoken to Marques. I think it could be any day now," said Evan Daniels, director of basketball recruiting at Scout.com, on Monday. "But he doesn't have a set time or a set date. I think he's just kind of sorting through the last part of this deal. He could literally decide at any moment."

Duke's class looks like this (with ESPN rankings in parentheses):

Harry Giles (#1 PF)

Jayson Tatum (#1 SF)

Frank Jackson (#3 SG)

Javin DeLaurier (#9 PF)

 

Kentucky's class looks like this:

Bam Adebayo (#2 PF)

De'Aaron Fox (#2 PG)

Malik Monk (#1 SG)

Wenyen Gabriel (#4 PF)

Sacha Killeya-Jones (#7 PF)

As you can see neither school desperately needs him, but grabbing Bolden would catapult the lucky school to the top of the recruiting rankings and give them an inside track to a possible national title. Kentucky needs to replace Skal Labissiere and Alex Poythress for next season while Duke has to replace Marshall Plumlee and could desperately use big men depth —- something it sorely lacked in 2015-16.