If you haven’t already noticed, many of the top unsigned recruits in the class of 2013 have begun flying off the shelves over the last few weeks. And not by coincidence.
With the start of basketball season creeping closer, dozens of top-flight prospects are accelerating their recruitments, wishing to finalize their college decisions so that they can enjoy their final high school season(s) without lingering distractions.
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Semi Ojeleye is the latest marquee recruit to close off his active recruitment. All it took was an in-home visit from the leader of Team USA basketball to seal the deal.
Ojeleye verbally committed to Mike Krzyzewski and Duke on Sunday, shortly after the Hall of Fame head coach visited Ojeleye’s Ottawa (KS) home. A senior standout at Ottawa High School, Ojeleye chose the Blue Devils from a lengthy list of high-major offers that included Indiana, Missouri, Wisconsin, Stanford and UCLA.
A 6-foot-7 small forward with a rangy skill set, Ojeleye is one of the fastest rising prospects in his class. Ojeleye is the No. 46 overall prospect according to our latest FanSided150 rankings. But based upon the jump he made over the spring and early summer, the surging Kansas hoops star should find himself comfortably in the Top 20 when we update our rankings at the end of the month.
Ojeleye’s combination of raw athleticism and an unmatched motor makes him one of the toughest defensive assignments in all of high school basketball. He can get to the rim at will, but of late has demonstrated growing confidence in his perimeter jump shot. At the Nike Peach Jam back in July, Ojeleye showcased his ability to create off the dribble and knock down the 20-footer with consistency. Over the week-long tournament, he attempted the third-most free-throw attempts of anyone while averaging a team best 17.6 points per game.
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As Busting Brackets reported back in July, Duke emerged as the prohibitive favorite to land Ojeleye after winning over the high school star and his awestruck parents earlier in the summer. Ojeleye had made an unofficial visit to Duke in early June, by which point one source told me the recruitment was all but locked up. The source hinted last month that Ojeleye would be a Blue Devil no later than the next time Duke reached out to him. Fast-forward to September, days removed from Krzyzewski’s in-home visit, and sure enough, the heavy Duke lean is now officially clad in royal blue.
The local favorite Jayhawks, once the leader in this recruitment, never extended the in-state star a scholarship offer. Bill Self’s program has already secured a commitment from 5-star wing Brannen Greene, who plays the same position as Ojeleye, and decided against pursuing another such player. Kansas State was also involved in the Ojeleye sweepstakes, but never got any closer than the periphery of the recruitment.
Ojeleye is Duke’s second notable commit in the class of 2013. He joins 5-star guard Matt Jones, arguably the top pure shooter in the class.
Fresh off his second gold medal in four years, Krzyzewski and his staff are in line for a loaded hall in the class. Having already struck big on two high-caliber wings, the Blue Devils remain in good stead with Jabari Parker and Julius Randle—the top two prospects in the 2013 class—as well. Duke is also in the mix for 4-star small forward Ishmail Wainright, power forward Austin Nichols and center Marcus Lee, among others.
Per a reliable recruiting insider reacting to the Ojeleye signing within the last hour: “Duke’s 2013 class is not finished yet.”
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