Matthew Hurt is in no rush to make a decision. He wants to see how the schools recruiting him play first.
The five-star forward from Rochester John Marshall said recently he'll take some of his official visits when the college basketball season starts next month.
"I'm trying to get my official visits in for games," Hurt told Rivals recruiting analyst Eric Bossi while at the USA Basketball junior national team minicamp in Colorado Springs.
"Like on a Saturday when I can come down and see the real atmosphere and environment for a game. I want to see how they prep a team before a game and stuff like that because I'll consider a lot of that in my decision."
Many of his peers have already taken visits to watch teams practice and attend football games, but Hurt said that's a different experience than he's looking for right now.
"Football games are probably more fun type visits because you are there with the team and the students having fun," he told Rivals. "But I think I will get more out of it by going to a basketball game."
Hurt hasn't cut any schools from this list, but seven are contacting him the most right now. In no order those programs are Kansas, Minnesota, Duke, North Carolina, Memphis, Indiana and Kentucky.
Waiting until the season to host Hurt for an official visit gives the Gophers a better chance to show him how much they've improved after going 15-17 last season. Hurt's brother, Michael, should have a more prominent role as a junior in what might be a bounce back year for coach Richard Pitino.
Hurt's family has a relationship with Pitino, but the Gophers have six newcomers (Marcus Carr, Payton Willis, Brock Stull, Daniel Oturu, Jarvis Omersa and Gabe Kalscheur) and two new assistants (Kyle Lindsted and Rob Jeter). Getting to know this 2018-19 Minnesota squad better should help Hurt be more comfortable with his decision, whether it happens in the fall or spring signing period.
"I think it's just relationships with the coaches," Hurt told Bossi. "How comfortable I am with them is big for me and my family. So I think as I get closer I'm going to really lock in and focus on that."
Another factor that isn't present for most players in the recruiting process is how a program utilizes one-and-done NBA prospects. Hurt's the sixth ranked player in the 2019 class by Rivals and 247Sports. The highly-skilled and versatile 6-foot-9 senior could have an opportunity to be drafted after his freshman year in college. Watching schools that produce one-and-dones is something he talked about with the Star Tribune last year.
Over the weekend, Hurt told USA Today in Colorado he's interested to see the way Indiana uses former McDonald's All-American guard Romeo Langford this season.
"I'm pretty sure he's one-and-done," Hurt said in the article. "I just want to see how they develop him. What they do for him is key for me."
Several reports from USA Basketball's training facility mentioned Hurt shooting the ball impressively from three-point range and showing his all-around game, including his underrated athleticism. Some of those highlights can be seen on the video below.
Hurt was joined at the junior minicamp by 87 of the top high school players in the country, including Cretin-Derham Hall freshman guard Trejuan Holloman. Minnehaha Academy junior guard Jalen Suggs was invited, but he stayed back in Minnesota to rest after playing a football game late Friday night.
