Another year, another package deal.
Five-star Class of 2017 forward Wendell Carter committed to Duke Wednesday, joining five-star shooting guard Gary Trent Jr. as the Blue Devils' first two five-star commits. Carter made the announcement in a video Wednesday morning on Twitter after CBS Sports' Jon Rothstein first reported Tuesday afternoon that Carter was expected to commit to Duke. The Blue Devils have also locked down four-star sharpshooter Alex O'Connell in their 2017 class.
— Wendell Carter Jr (@wendellcarter34) November 23, 2016
At 6-foot-9 and 254 pounds, Carter is the No. 3 prospect in his class according to ESPN. The Atlanta native is a load down low with his strength and athleticism, and will likely continue to develop an array of post moves to complement his feathery touch on mid-range jump shots. Carter's potential as a shot blocker and defensive stopper given his versatility also made him one of the most coveted prospects in the nation.
Carter made several headlines because of his emphasis on academics—his top four schools were Duke, Harvard, Georgia and Georgia Tech, though the Blue Devils were long expected to be the favorite. An accomplished student with a 3.8 GPA who acts in school plays, the Pace Academy senior will spend at least a year in Durham before contemplating his NBA future.
Carter and Trent became the latest high-profile tandem to choose head coach Mike Krzyzewski's team, joining 2014-15 stars Tyus Jones and Jahlil Okafor and this year's freshman tandem of Jayson Tatum and Harry Giles.
Carter's announcement was the latest in a busy period of commitments and recruiting updates. Five-star point guard Quade Green chose Kentucky last weekend after including Duke in his top five. The Blue Devils are still in the running for Trevon Duval, the top point guard in the Class of 2017, as well as four-star point guard Matt Coleman.
Duke is also still going after five-star forwards Kevin Knox and Mohamed Bamba as it looks to bring in yet another top-three recruiting class.
Class of 2017 prospects are not the only ones making headlines, as Class of 2018 five-star guard Immanuel Quickley recently announced his top eight schools and included Duke.
Check back with the Blue Zone next week for all of your Duke recruiting news as the nation's top high school prospects continue announcing their future destinations.
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