Henricksen: The power of the official visit (and what it could mean for Ayo Dosunmu)

The official visit is important, often critical. Don’t let anyone tell you differently.

And as a coaching staff (and a rabid fan base that follows recruiting), knowing you have a prospect’s final official visit –– and you’re sure the prospect will get to that final visit –– is a big plus.

Feeling any better Illinois fans?

Morgan Park star point guard Ayo Dosunmu is on his official visit –– and last visit –– to Illinois this weekend. He’s down to Wake Forest and Illinois.

The official visit will be full of wooing and entertaining, emphasizing all that’s right with Fighting Illini basketball, the new culture and environment, the academics the university offers, the social setting and why Illinois is right for Dosunmu.

But the added advantage is this is Dosunmu’s final close-up look. Now it’s Illinois’ job to make it a lasting impression for Dosunmu and his family, because these are often difficult choices for teenagers to make. And in the end there is often very little that separates School A from School B.

For Illinois, this is the biggest official visit for the program since Stevenson star Jalen Brunson came to town three years ago. The Illinois visit impressed Brunson so much he was ready to commit.

Brunson cancelled visits to Temple, Michigan State and Purdue because he knew it was down to Illinois and Villanova. His thought was why waste anyone’s time? He visited his two finalists on back-to-back weekends and made his decision.

The Sunday night following his official visit to Illinois, I spoke with Jalen Brunson’s father, Rick Brunson, about the visit and discussed his son’s recruitment as we had done a number of times in the months leading up to those visits.

These were more off-the-record type of talks between two basketball people on a personal level, as had become the norm, rather than the Q & A/reporting talk that was clearly deciphered between the two of us.

While at coach John Groce’s house during the official visit, Jalen Brunson was in the basement with his mother and Groce in a moment where the state’s best player was set to commit. The feel-good mood and conversation was clearly moving that way, said Rick Brunson back then in our post-visit conversation and again this week as we reminisced about his son’s recruiting and visit process.

Brunson told his dad he was ready to commit to Illinois. This was the player who was buying into “being the one” to elevate Illinois basketball, being the “breakthrough recruit” for John Groce.

Rick Brunson, however, wanted to make sure his son was sure. When Rick Brunson went down to the basement, he aided in “slowing things down” for the benefit of his son’s decision-making process. He wanted to at least have Jalen take his official visit to Villanova the following weekend for his son to have something to compare to Illinois. This was Jalen Brunson’s very first official visit.

“I told him everything that was going to happen on these official visits beforehand and how great they were going to be,” says Rick Brunson, who had been through the recruiting process decades earlier as a McDonald’s All-American as a high school player. “I don’t care who you are, if it’s a staff that’s doing their job, they’re going to make you feel great and loved. Illinois did a great job on that visit.”

The Brunson family took the train to Champaign for the Illinois official visit. On the train ride home, Rick again listened as his son reiterated his thoughts, “Dad, I’m going to Illinois. I want to be that guy.”

Father told son that if after the Villanova visit he still wanted to go to Illinois, Jalen would have his father’s blessing.

“I told him that if that’s really what you want to do, I’ll support you,” says Rick Brunson, who is now an assistant coach with the Minnesota Timberwolves.

In the week between the Illinois and Villanova visits, Jalen Brunson and his family did the typical pros and cons of both programs. Rick Brunson was also able to get a couple of former star guards from both Illinois and Villanova on the phone for Jalen to talk with about the respective programs.

So Jalen Brunson spent time discussing all things Illinois and Villanova with former Illini star Deron Williams and Villanova star Kyle Lowry, picking their brain about the two programs and schools.

Brunson was torn throughout the week leading up to the Villanova official visit. The emotion he felt while on the Illinois official visit lingered throughout the week.

Once he was on the Villanova campus Brunson was quickly reminded of all the pluses coach Jay Wright had pointed out during the recruiting process. Now it was Villanova that was fresh on his mind. It was inevitable that those pro-Illinois emotions, the rush of the official visit to Illinois would subside –– at least somewhat –– while enjoying yourself on the Villanova campus.

Brunson also really clicked with the Villanova players and enjoyed the quick connection he made with them on the visit in comparison to Illinois. There was a comfort level with not only the coaches, but the Villanova players as well.

In the end, the Villanova official visit was a grand slam.

By the time Brunson returned home from Philadelphia, the lead Illinois had was lost. And in the next two days Brunson was able to put the emotions of the visits to the side and make the most sound decision he could. Is there anyone who now doubts he made the right one?

Jalen Brunson has been a part of 67 wins in two years at Villanova while starting and playing 24 minutes a game as a freshman for a national championship team.

But it’s all a clear reminder of the ebb and flow of recruiting and the power of the official visit. If you’re not careful, the official visit can ultimately sway the decision without a prospect even realizing it.

With Jalen Brunson, this was a sharp, intellectual kid with his priorities in order. He possessed high character and analyzed all that is potentially right and wrong with each option when weighing his decision. This was the last kid you would think would get caught up in the moment and be captivated by the raw emotion of the glamorous official visit.

Yet the emotions Brunson felt while on his official visit to Illinois were strong enough for the kid to want to pull the trigger and commit, only to come down from that high and realize where his heart really was a week later –– with Villanova and Jay Wright.

Relationships have typically already been built and unofficial visits have previously been made, but the official visit –– those 48 hours on campus while being the center of attention with a program putting its best foot forward while on their dime –– can be a monumental shift. And to be the last school to showcase itself?

“Planning official visits are like piecing together a puzzle,” says one high-major head coach. “You would love to have the last official visit –– if you are guaranteed to get it. But do I want to be the fool who didn’t even get the official visit because I waited?”

Recruits and families often tire of the recruiting process, especially after taking two or three official visits. The official visits can be exhausting with the travel, late nights and emotion of it all. So there is never a guarantee a school that’s set up to be the fourth or fifth official visit even gets the chance.

Thus, there is careful planning and discussion as to when is the best time to get a prospect on campus for his official visit.

Illinois, though, has it all lined up, perfectly set up on a tee to hit its own home run and land Dosunmu.

There is the pull of being close to home and having the opportunity for family, friends and coaches to see virtually every game live with a drive to campus –– and drivable road games to Wisconsin, Northwestern, Indiana, Purdue, Michigan, Michigan State and Iowa.

There is no college basketball blue blood in the mix. There is no near-by college basketball program within an easy drive to compare with or a Hall of Fame college coach to recruit against.

And with the end clearly in sight here in the middle of October, there isn’t the worry of where this recruitment is headed.

By all accounts, Dosunmu loved his visit to Wake Forest and has a great appreciation and respect for coach Danny Manning, his staff and the roster the Demon Deacons are building. But there was always going to be that official visit to Illinois.

You can’t fault Dosunmu or his family for taking their time. In comparison to other high-profile recruitments over the years this has been tame and pretty normal –– as far as recruiting goes. Ayo Dosunmu has been pretty low-key with it all, respectful of the process and hasn’t once put himself in a bad light as so many other high-profile recruits have in the past.

They took numerous unofficial visits early on to lay the groundwork for what would ultimately help them make a decision. They then took three official visits. It never became a circus or a Look-At-Me recruitment.

Dosunmu and his family have been in the driver’s seat while being up front and patient.As Dosunmu sorted out this huge decision, Wake Forest and Illinois weren’t going anywhere, so why rush anything?

While Wake Forest has made a strong push, coach Brad Underwood and his staff have made it to this point and now have the chance, with this final official visit, to leave a favorable and memorable impression. Maybe most important, the last impression.

Follow Joe Henricksen and the City/Suburban Hoops Report @joehoopsreport