Four-Star 2020 Shooting Guard Cassius Stanley was the last member of the 2019 recruiting class to commit to Duke, capping off a banner week for the Blue Devils on the recruiting trail with the additions of both Matthew Hurt on the 19th and Stanley on the 22nd of April. Now just four months later, the two freshmen have finished a summer school session that has allowed them to adjust to both the academic side of being in college and the athletic.

According to NCAA regulations, student athletes in the sport of college basketball can participate "in required weight-training, conditioning and skill-related instruction for up to eight weeks". "Such activities shall be limited to a maximum of eight hours per week with not more than four hours per week spent on skill-related instruction."

While the team has been participating in those workouts since the freshmen arrived on campus in early July, and Stanley has already taken notice of one of his classmates.

"The player that has impressed me the most this summer is Matthew Hurt," Stanley said in his USA Today blog. "He’s just a brilliant basketball player. He lets the game come to him and he gets the same results that he would get if he were trying to force the action or pressing it."

Hurt was one of the highest ranked recruits in the Blue Devils' 2019 class, and comes in as a penciled in starter at either of the forward positions on the court for Duke. He'll be counted on as one of the most critical pieces of the puzzle as the coaching staff looks to replace more than 75% of its scoring from last season. According to 247Sports.com National Basketball Analyst Brian Snow, Hurt has all the weapons to score from nearly everywhere on the court.

Stands right around 6-foot-9, but doesn’t have great length. An extremely skilled forward, he shines when asked to stretch the floor and create some off the dribble. One of the best shooters in the class. Has the skill level and ability to put pressure on the defense out to 24 feet. Also can score from the mid-post, and is a good passer. Needs to get a lot stronger, and must continue to work on having a consistent motor. One of the tougher matchups in the class.

With the adjustment from high school to college life, Stanley has been involved in a weight training program with Associate Director of Sports Performance/Head Basketball Sports Performance Coach Will Stephens leading the charge. The results have already made an impact on Stanley's physique.

"I think by the time everyone sees me play in November the part of my game that they’ll see has grown the most is my strength," said Stanley. "That and just being under the greatest coach of all time has taken me to another level mentally too."

Getting to spend time with his teammates has no doubt been invaluable for developing the chemistry needed to compete for a National Championship, always the goal for Duke's program every year, but getting to develop a relationship with the coaching staff is just as important.

"It’s crazy because as Coach K just simplifies everything and breaks it down to a level you never thought about," Stanley explained. "He amazes me every day."

That statement echoes one made by Zion Williamson over the summer when recounting his time at Duke.

"He'd break the game down in a way that you would think, wow, is it really that simple?" Williamson said.