Duke Basketball: Breaking down the 2020 recruiting class

Jaemyn Brakefield – Huntington, WV

PF | 6-foot-8 | 210 lbs | No. 36 overall

Jaemyn Brakefield fits the mold of being an ultra-versatile prospect that can be used in a variety of ways. He already boasts a relatively filled-out frame that should allow him to play multiple positions. Perhaps most importantly, he is a strong performer with the ball in his hands. While not necessarily an “elite” passer, he brings solid vision to the court and exhibits excellent ball-handling at 6-foot-8. This allows him to break down his defender and get into the paint.

Once in the lane, Brakefield is quite adept at finishing with either hand as he maneuvers through traffic well. He has an array of moves to beat his man and uses his athleticism to hang in the air and avoid defenders or rise up for an emphatic slam. The potential is there for him to be a strong defender as well.

Brakefield, in my opinion, is the most under-appreciated part of Duke’s recruiting class. He has not received as much as hype as many of the commits but should be able to be a highly-impactful player from Day 1. He can play on the wing as well as hold his own in the paint, can hit the occasional trifecta, and is deadly off the bounce. The lefty is simply a solid all-around prospect.

As already mentioned, Duke has its fair share of frontcourt talent this year and it will be interesting to see how Coach K manages who will be the featured pieces of the rotation. Considering their recruiting rankings and playing styles, it feels like Jalen Johnson is a lock to start and Mark Williams will either be a starter or first big off the bench.

Brakefield currently appears likely to fill a reserve role, and his path to minutes will be showcasing that he can thrive at multiple positions. Brakefield was also AAU teammates with Jalen Johnson. Those two should immediately have chemistry before taking the court in Durham. That could be something to watch.