With the addition of Mississippi State transfer Rodney Hood, Duke is shaping up to be a special team in 2013-14.
The 6-foot-7 Hood chose Duke over Ohio State, which features his close friend, LaQuinton Ross. He will become eligible in the 2013-14 season after sitting out one year, and will then have three years of eligibility.
“I feel like coach [Mike Krzyzewski] and the staff can get the most out of me as a player and academically,” Hood, who averaged 10 points and. 4.8 rebounds as a freshman, told ESPN.com. “I liked the teammates and felt like we have a good chance to compete for a championship.”
The Blue Devils are in the mix for both of the top two stars in the 2013 class — Jabari Parker and Julius Randle.
The 6-7 Parker out of Chicago Simeon is said to favor Duke and Michigan State among a list that includes some 14 teams.
“We would narrow it down to Duke and Michigan State,” longtime recruiting analysts Roy and Harv Schmidt of Illinois Prep Bulls-Eye told CSNChicago.com, a sister Website of SNY.tv.
“Jabari has great relationships with [Michigan State coach] Tom Izzo and [Duke coach] Mike Krzyzewski. That is a very important factor to consider, his relationship with the head coach. And one other thing to consider: Michigan State is closest to home.”
Parker is currently competing with the U.S. U17 team at the World Championship in Lithuania, while the 6-9 Randle already won gold with the U.S. U18 team at the FIBA Americas Championship in Brazil.
Randle is being courted by just about everyone at the upper echelon of basketball, including Duke.
If the Blue Devils were to land either one in addition to Hood, they could really be special beginning in 2013.
Philly Friends Central forward Amile Jefferson and Houston shooting guard Rasheed Sulaimon will be sophomores by then.
After sitting out a year, Hood told ESPN.com he will be especially hungry to play and make a mark.
“It’ll be real hard,” Hood said. “I talked to Arnett [Moultrie] about it [sitting out] and he said it was going to be real hard. There will be times when you’re mad but you’ll be hungry.”
