5-star recruit Jayson Tatum commits to Duke basketball, first piece of 2016 class

After signing the nation's top-ranked recruiting class in each of the past two cycles, Duke head coach Mike Krzyzewski and his staff are back at it again.

The Blue Devils added their first commitment for the Class of 2016 Sunday when highly-touted prospect Jayson Tatum verbally committed to Duke at the Nike EYBL Peach Jam tournament in North Augusta, S.C. The 6-foot-8 small forward is the second-ranked player in the 2016 ESPN 100 and made his verbal commitment on ESPNU after a thrilling semifinal victory.

Tatum chose Duke over St. Louis, Kentucky and North Carolina. Although the Wildcats and Tar Heels were the other traditional powerhouses chasing Tatum, the Blue Devils also had to clear a significant obstacle in convincing the St. Louis native to take his talents to Durham instead of committing to his hometown Bilikens. Tatum's father is a St. Louis alum and locals pushed him to stay at home but the recruiting pitch from the five-time champion Krzyzewski won out.

Krzyzewski and assistants Jeff Capel, Jon Scheyer and Nate James have all been in attendance to watch the Peach Jam tournament unfold, where several of their recruiting targets have been in action. In the first six games of the tournament, Tatum averaged 23.5 points and 8.5 rebounds per game, leading his team to a 6-0 ledger and a matchup against top-ranked Class of 2016 recruit Harry Giles in the semifinals.

Tatum's St. Louis Eagles trailed by 14 at halftime but stormed back in the second half, winning on a 3-pointer at the buzzer, 74-73. Tatum scored 28 points in the comeback effort and will look to claim the Peach Jam title at 3 p.m.

Tatum's commitment could bode well for the Blue Devils' chances of landing Giles. The duo has grown close off the court and got a taste of what playing together would be like in the FIBA U19 Championships earlier this month. Both Tatum and Giles have spoken about the possibility of playing together and competing for a championship at the next level. With Tatum in tow, Duke becomes a strong favorite to land Giles in what could become a highly coveted dual threat.