Duke Basketball: Breaking down the 2020 recruiting class
Jalen Johnson – Milwaukee, WI
SF | 6-foot-8 | 215 lbs | No. 11 overall
Jalen Johnson represents Duke’s top incoming freshman for this coming campaign. A perfect fit for the modern game with his well-built 6-foot-8 frame and impressively versatile playing style, he is a no-doubt five-star prospect that should be one of the focal points of the Blue Devils’ roster for this coming season.
It is quite likely that Johnson will be a one-and-done at the collegiate level, but he will surely make a big impact during his sole season in Durham no matter how Coach K chooses to utilize him.
Perhaps most notably, Johnson is a superb creator on the wing. He uses his size well to see over defenders and makes smart decisions with the basketball. His court vision pops very often on film and he can make dishes in a variety of situations. Johnson is an outstanding live-dribble passer from the perimeter and he also makes great reads when driving to the basket.
While Roach/Goldwire will likely handle most of the initiating for Duke during this coming campaign, Johnson should be utilized in that role for some stretches and will always be the secondary creator.
In terms of the other parts of his game, Johnson is a nice finisher with both hands at the rim and can be a somewhat reliable jump-shooter. While he might not be a deadeye sniper, defenders have to respect his ability to let it fly from beyond the arc and that is what matters most. With his size and athleticism, Johnson projects as an above-average rebounder and versatile defender. Playmaking is his best skill, but he can make multifaceted impacts across the board.
Next. Way-too-early Top 25 for 2020-21. dark
It is odd to see Duke land a recruiting class without a Composite Top 10 player in the country, but Johnson is right on the fringe of that classification. The Wisconsin native is arguably the most talented and most versatile player in the Blue Devils’ 2020 class and fans across the country should be eager to see how Coach K uses his incoming star and the rest of this group.