Top basketball recruit R.J. Barrett has signed with Duke, the team announced on its Twitter account Thursday morning.
Barrett, a 6-6, 180-pound small forward is the No. 1 prospect in the 2018 recruiting class. He committed to the Blue Devils last Friday on the Canadian network TSN.
Barrett, who plays for Montverde Academy in Florida, is originally from Canada.
“At Montverde, he plays for one of the great coaches in the country, in Kevin Boyle, so he’s far advanced,” Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski said in a video posted on GoDuke.com. “He’s a guy that can be not just an outstanding player, but an outstanding leader for us.”
Wednesday marked the end of the early signing period for college basketball. Barrett was the third prospect Duke has signed.
During the signing period, the Blue Devils also signed No. 4 recruit Cameron Reddish, a 6-7, 211-pound small forward, and No. 6 recruit Tre Jones, a 6-2, 175-pound point guard. Jones is the top-ranked point guard in the country.
Krzyzewski and his staff have dominated in recruiting, especially over the last few years. He has had the No. 1 or No. 2 recruiting class every year since 2014, and will likely be in that position at the end of 2018. 247sports gives Duke the No. 2 recruiting class in 2018 behind Kansas, which has signed four prospects ranked in the top 40 so far.
Barrett likely won’t be the last recruit Duke signs.
The next time a recruit can sign is in April. Duke, as well as many other top schools, has its eyes set on Zion Williamson, the No. 2 recruit in the country.
Williamson, who is known for his dunks that often go viral, has taken four officials visits so far. The 6-6, 275-pound forward, visited Duke, Kentucky and UNC in October, and Kansas in September. It is unclear when Williamson will make a decision.
Jonathan M. Alexander: 919-829-4822, @jonmalexander
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