After convincing point guard Derryck Thornton to reclassify to the Class of 2015 and commit to Duke, many believed the Blue Devils had accumulated enough talent to once again compete for the national championship.
But a little more help doesn't hurt Duke's chances.
Six-foot-eight forward Brandon Ingram announced his decision to sign with Duke in a Monday ceremony at his high school, a rewarding result for the Blue Devil coaching staff considering the amount of time and effort spent recruiting the in-state talent. Ingram—known as the "Slim Reaper" by many of his high school coaches and teammates—is one of the highest-rated players in the Class of 2015, ranked No. 4 overall by Rivals and No. 3 by ESPN.
The Kinston, N.C., native also held offers from North Carolina, Kentucky, N.C. State, Kansas and UCLA. Ingram’s commitment is particularly sweet for Blue Devil fans, as the small forward was heavily pursued by all three Triangle schools, with Roy Williams' squad the favorite to land a commitment from Ingram early in the recruitment process.
Ingram averaged 24.3 points, 7.7 rebounds and 3.0 blocks per game as a senior at Kinston High School this season, leading the Vikings to four straight state championships.
With the combination of his athleticism and his ability to space the floor with his perimeter shooting, Ingram figures to play a significant role on the court for the Blue Devils next season. The small forward joins fellow five-star recruits Thornton and center Chase Jeter and four-star shooting guard Luke Kennard in a loaded incoming recruiting class along with a core of returning players including captains Amile Jefferson, Matt Jones and Marshall Plumlee, Grayson Allen and Rice transfer Sean Obi.
Ingram will be expected to step in right away and fill the void left by the departure of freshman Justise Winslow. Although Ingram is not nearly the defender that Winslow was, the future Duke forward has the potential to be deadly on offense with deep range and a quick, high release that is extremely difficult to block.
The biggest knock on Ingram leaving high school appears to be his lanky physique. At 198 pounds, Ingram will have to work on bulking up in order to expand his ability to take the ball to the basket and go up strong against opposing forwards in the paint.
Stay tuned to the Blue Zone in the coming days for additional coverage of what Ingram's commitment means for next year's Duke team and its impact on other Blue Devil recruiting targets.
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