Isaiah Stewart

Five-star junior big man Isaiah Stewart is staying busy. Not only on the court with his season, but also off of it, where he’s visited a host of schools during the year.

Stewart’s most recent visit was an unofficial visit to Duke this past weekend for their showdown with rival North Carolina.

“It was a great, crazy atmosphere, I definitely enjoyed it,” Stewart said. “I got a chance to talk with coach K and coach [Jon] Scheyer and coach [Jeff] Capel, the entire coaching staff, and we talked. I was also on a visit with Cam Reddish, Tre Jones and Joey Baker and I’ve speaking to Joey Baker a lot and it was good to see him. The last time I saw him was 8th grade so it was good to see him again.”

What stuck out to Stewart the most about the visit?

“When people say that Duke is a brotherhood, it really is a brotherhood and I saw that as soon as I went to the locker room,” he said. “They’re really brothers and they’re happy for each one’s success. Grayson Allen had a good final game at home and they were all celebrating him and celebrating that and stuff like that so that right there really stuck out to me.”

Stewart, who was accompanied by his father and City Rocks coach Jim Hart, sat down with the Blue Devils coaching staff during the visit. Stewart said Mike Krzyzewski made it clear he’s a key recruit for them in 2019.

“He’s telling me that he loves me and the way I play and the passion that I play with,” Stewart said. “He sees a lot of potential in me and thinks I’ll have some big games and thinks I’m a great person off the court as well and that I have those Duke traits.”

“They have told me how I am a very important guy to them in this class and they feel like I’m a Duke kid and that Duke fits me and what I do and they think that I can be an amazing player at Duke,” he added.

To go with Duke, Stewart told 247Sports that he’s been prioritized by Michigan State, Purdue, Texas, Xavier, Indiana, Syracuse, Georgetown, Kansas and Notre Dame.

“I’ve taken unofficials to Michigan State, Purdue, Indiana, I’ve been up to Syracuse a few times, I went to Georgetown twice before everything got hectic with my recruiting process and Virginia as well,” he said.

Stewart said his most recent visits have been to Notre Dame, Purdue, Indiana and Michigan State. Stewart broke down those four trips.

Notre Dame: “It was good. Mike Brey is a good coach and he finds a way to win even without any top players and recruits and stuff like that so he’s a great coach and he has a great coaching staff and I’m pretty familiar with. The coaching staff and have a great relationship with them. They want me to pretty much come in and make me do what Bonzie’s doing and develop my game like that. That’s what they’re telling me and telling me I’m a very important guy as well.”

Purdue: “No matter who they’re playing their fans are going to come out to support. Not only that, but they throw the ball to their big guys and they have a great history of big guys and developing their big guys and getting them to that next level so it’s a great spot and a great program and great coaches. I have a good relationship with coach [Steve] Lutz and coach [Matt] Painter as well.”

Indiana: “Oh man, it was crazy. The atmosphere was also crazy as well. They haven’t been the best or doing the best but coach [Archie] Miller is a good coach and finds ways to win games and it was great. It’s a good spot and good program.”

Michigan State: “It was good. Their fans are true die-hard Spartans and coach [Tom] Izzo is a great guy and so is coach [Dane] Fife along with the rest of the coaching staff. Coach Izzo has been up to La Lumiere visiting me and talking to me and stuff like that. It was great, Michigan State is another great spot.

Despite jumping into the process and taking a number of visits, Stewart said he’s not in a hurry to make a college decision.

“I’m going to take my time with everything and not rush anything,” Stewart said. “I plan on continuing to build relationships and take my time and my visits and get more comfortable.”

Stewart is currently the No. 25 player in the 247Sports Composite.

There are seven logged predictions in the 247Sports Crystal Ball for Stewart. 86-percent of the predictions are for Duke.