Duke Basketball: Blue Devils land elite 2020 recuit Jalen Johnson

Duke Basketball is one of the top recruiting programs every single year. The Blue Devils have now landed Jalen Johnson, one of the top prospects in the 2020 class.

Duke basketball has wasted absolutely zero time getting a jumpstart on 2020 recruiting. Even though the Blue Devils have waited around in the past before snagging their cornerstone prospects, that is not the case this time around. Just two months after securing a commitment from a top-20 point guard, Duke has now received word of landing Jalen Johnson out of Nicolet, WI. This is an incredible start to what will be yet another tremendous recruiting class for the program. The Blue Devils now own the No. 1 overall class for 2020 and they might never relinquish their hold on that spot.

Johnson, the No. 4 overall recruit in the class, is a tremendous snag due to his potential as a building block for Duke. Even though he will only be on campus for one year, his skill set is easy to mold a team around. As a 6-foot-8 small forward with the ability to score at all three levels while also showcasing elite-level playmaking and court vision, he can simply be surrounded by finishers and sniper to the point where he can be the leader of a top-ranked team in the country.

He is clearly one of the most talented players in the 2020 class but he is also one of the most versatile. Although not a tremendous individual defender, he can use his size to his advantage while improving the overall team scheme. Johnson understands the game at a high level and can make an impact in so many different ways. He can be a go-to scorer or primary facilitator. With the way skilled and athletic wings are viewed in today’s game, he is almost a perfect mold for a college (and maybe professional) superstar.

While playing for Phenom University (WI) on the EYBL circuit, Johnson has been incredibly impressive. Even on a team full of future high-major players, he has stood more than any other. Oh, and it doesn’t hurt that his team currently owns an 11-2 record. To this point in the EYBL season, the talented wing is averaging 17.0 points (.503/.189/.649), 9.2 rebounds, 6.2 assists, 1.3 steals, and 1.6 blocks in just under 30 minutes per game. He might be struggling with his shot a bit but those are outstanding all-around numbers.

With his commitment announced, Johnson will join Jeremy Roach in Duke’s 2020 recruiting class. roach is currently ranked as the No. 18 overall prospect in the class and the second-best point guard. Although not an incredible athlete, Roach is very dynamic. He scores efficiently at all three levels, defends at a high level, and is already well-built and ready to play big minutes at the college level. He should be a great on-court leader for the program and is another player that should be able to fit (and succeed) alongside most players.

With Johnson and Roach in tow, Duke’s recruiting class is off to a predictably amazing start. These two will be the building blocks for the 2020-21 Blue Devils’ roster and you can be sure that they will near the top of the preseason rankings for that season. The next task for the coaching staff will be who to prioritize next.