The news that Karl Towns, who reclassified from the class of 2015 to the class for 2014, is going to Kentucky shocked exactly no one, especially Duke fans.
With Karl Towns (far right) off to Kentucky the trio of Theo Pinson, Tyus Jones and Jahlil Okafor could make Duke’s class of 2014 grea. (photo courtesy Duke Chronicle)
But the news that one of the bigger targets in the junior class is going somewhere other than Durham puts just a little more of a spot light on the trio of targest that Duke is trying to lure in.
It all starts with Tyus Jones who is the No. 1 rated player in the class and the top point guard prospect as well. Jones has a whose who of suitors but Duke is believed to be high on his list as well as North Carolina. Jones, a 6-foot-1 point guard is the type of point guard that could be an immediate impact player for any school and certainly a top priority for Mike Krzyzewski and the Blue Devils.
A lot of the Internet rumors have fellow 2014 recruit, Jahlil Okafor as linked very closely to Jones and talk of a “package deal” have Duke fans excited given Okafor’s positivity toward the Blue Devils. At 6-foot-9 and 270 pounds, Okafor is a big body and the type of low post player that Duke hasn’t seen, well since Mason Plumlee. Oh wait.
Still, Duke has failed to land a post player out of high school as seemingly ready to contributor early as Okafor is a good long while. If the talk of he and Jones having a strong desire to play together is accurate than if the Blue Devils land one they stand a good shot of landing potentially both.
Then there is Theo Pinson, 6-foot-6, small forward form Greensboro, NC who apparently grew up a Duke fan and who has been to see Duke’s Countdown to Craziness and who was also in the building when the Blue Devils played Florida Gulf Coast. There have been rumors, seeing as all three visited Duke at Countdown to Craziness, that they all want to play together but talk of these types of pacts don’t always pan out.
Still it is hard to see Duke not trading Karl Towns to Kentucky for the trio of Pinson, Okafor and Jones. There, however, is a lot of time and there are not guarantees that any end up coming to Duke, that is unless you believe the rumors.
While the wait for the class of 2014 goes on, the Blue Devils still are working on their class of 2013 though, having already landed small forward Semi Ojeleye and guard Matt Jones. Duke is awaiting word on the No. 2 prospect in the class, Jabari Parker who is down to a handful of schools including Michigan Sate, Duke, BYU, Florida and Stanford.
Parker has said he plans to make a decision early in 2013 and sign in the spring signing period. Parker is widely believed to be a one year player but is generally perceived by most to be an excellent fit for Duke. For now, like most of the time all Duke Fans can do is wait and see what happens with the recruits.
We will all know soon enough on Parker, however, the 2014 jackpot that Blue Devil Fans are hoping for will take a bit longer. Stay tuned to the Duke Sports Blog for more updates on recruiting as they pop up.
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