Although the 2016-17 season just tipped off, Duke's coaching staff has been hard at work on the recruiting trail, signing an impressive 2017 class ranked eighth in the country last week. Here is an overview of the players who will be joining the Blue Devils next year.
Jade Williams
A five-star forward, Williams is versatile enough to play either of the frontcourt positions and is a tenacious defender in the paint. The Colony, Texas, native was a member of the 2015 USA Basketball U16 team that won a bronze medal in the FIBA Americas Championship, where she started all but one of the team’s games. Williams can run the floor well, making her a perfect fit in Duke’s up-tempo offense with probable returners Lexie Brown and Kyra Lambert in the backcourt next year. Williams also has a smooth touch from midrange and can extend her shot all the way to the 3-point arc. Her main calling card is versatility, though, as Williams has the height and wingspan of a center but the agility of a small forward, making her a matchup nightmare.
Mikayla Boykin
ESPN's No. 20 recruit in her class, Boykin has stayed near the top of the recruiting boards despite missing her sophomore and junior high school seasons due to knee injuries. This is in large part to the skills she displayed as a freshman, averaging 26.6 points and 9.8 rebounds per game. The Clinton, N.C., native is an excellent playmaker, capable of consistently creating her own shot by driving to the basket and finishing strong at the rim. Boykin is also a good passer who can find open teammates with ease, even in traffic. She will probably serve as a deputy to Lambert, Brown and Rebecca Greenwell in her first year and then could slide in a starter once Brown and Greenwell graduate. Her elite explosiveness and midrange jump shot will pose problems for opposing teams who will have to deal with multiple elite ball-handlers next season.
Madison Treece
A stereotypical back-to-the-basket player, Treece adds a more physical dimension to the Duke recruiting class. She is more than willing to do the dirty work of rim protection and competing on the glass for rebounds. Treece is one of the tougher interior defenders in her class, one who never cedes an inch of territory in the paint. The Saint Peters, Mo., native’s offensive game is still developing, but she has some effective post moves in her arsenal already. At the college level, Treece will need to expand her face-up game in the post and take defenders one-on-one to the basket as well as develop more of a jumpshot to pull defenders away from the basket. Treece looks like she will be one of the Blue Devils’ best post defenders from the moment she arrives on campus, especially after Oderah Chidom graduates this year, and will find more playing time as her offensive game progresses.
Jayda Adams
A teammate of Williams on the 2015 USA Basketball U16 team, Adams brings a scorer’s mentality to the table. She is an excellent 3-point shooter who can play both guard and small forward, a bit in the mold of Greenwell. The Irvine, Calif., native plays for one of the premier high school teams in the country at Mater Dei. Adams’ offensive game is especially potent in transition, where she can receive passes and knock down open 3-pointers, a perfect fit for the Blue Devil offense. Perhaps most importantly, the three-star prospect can fill several different roles on offense and defense at 5-foot-11—her versatility will give Duke head coach Joanne P. McCallie lots of options.
This is one of the better recruiting classes that the Blue Devils have captured in recent years, and this group of freshmen could set Duke up for a special season next year.
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