Marvin Bagley III, the No. 1 high school basketball player in the country according to the ESPN 100, will reclassify to 2017 and enroll at Duke this fall.
The 6-foot-11 power forward from Sierra Canyon (CA) announced for the Blue Devils over UCLA and USC on Monday night’s SportsCenter. ESPN said it will slot Bagley as the No. 1 player in the Class of 2017, and the Blue Devils also ascend to No. 1 in the recruiting rankings for 2017.
“I would like to thank Danny Ferry and Coach K for allowing me to wear this retired No. 35 at Duke University,” Bagley said as he pulled out a blue Duke jersey. “We took a lot of time to look at the pros and cons of each school and Duke was the best fit for me in our opinion,” he added. Marvin Bagley Jr., the player’s father, is originally from Durham, N.C., and Marvin’s grandmother still lives there. “Just the brotherhood there, man,” he said when asked the deciding factor. “That’s what Coach K preached to me and my family on my visit. I had a good feeling ever since they first offered me a scholarship in ninth grade, I’ve always liked Duke. It’s a special place. And you have to be special to be part of it.”Marvin Bagley IIINike ExtravaganzaSierra Canyon TrailblazersWatch video on OvertimeBagley, who averaged 24.6 points and 10.1 rebounds last season at Sierra Canyon, should help Duke challenge for its sixth NCAA championship under Mike Krzyzewski. “He’s a difference-maker,” ESPN college basketball analyst and former Duke forward Jay Bilas told ZAGSBLOG. “He’ll only be there for a year and if he reclasses, it doesn’t matter what draft he’s in, he’s probably the No. 1 pick. He’s incredibly gifted, left-handed, long, blocks shots, runs, handles, inside/out. There’s very little, if anything, he cannot do on a basketball court.
Marvin Bagley IIINike ExtravaganzaSierra Canyon TrailblazersWatch video on Overtime“He’s only going to get better so he’s the real thing.” Bagley figures to be in the mix with Missouri freshman Michael Porter Jr. for the No. 1 pick in 2018. “I mean, it’s a close call because Porter is really gifted and he’s big and strong and athletic and very, very skilled,” Bilas said. “I would probably put Bagley a little bit ahead of him given how young he is and he’s very gifted, but they’re both outstanding prospects. It’s going to be 1-2 whatever it is.”
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“Marvin Bagley III is an undeniable talent and owns untapped potential to grow in the game,” said Paul Biancardi, ESPN national recruiting director. “He dominates the game with his versatility, extremely athletic frame and high level scoring skills. He is effective from both the interior with his signature jump hook, and on the perimeter by way of his drive game or three-point shot. He will be an impact player for whichever team he chooses, and will change the landscape in college basketball whenever he chooses to do so.”
Bagley joins a Duke recruiting class that includes point guards Trevon Duval and Jordan Goldwire, shooting guards Gary Trent Jr. and Alex O’Connell and power forward Wendell Carter Jr.As of Monday evening, DraftExpress.com projected Duke to have the Nos. 2 (Bagley), 10 (Carter Jr.) and 11 (Duval) picks in the 2018 Draft. “I just want to get better,” Bagley said last month at the Peach Jam. “You can have the talent, but I want to grow as a person. I want to be around great people and be in an environment that’s helping me to grow. I’m excited about this college thing, man, wherever I go.” Photo: Scout.com
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