Fewer than 24 hours passed from five-star power forward Jaemyn Brakefield announcing his offer from Duke and his subsequent commitment via Twitter Friday afternoon.
The turn of events caught nearly everyone off guard—the No. 23-ranked player in his class had offers from 12 schools. Brakefield's commitment pushes Duke's 2020 class to five, alongside five-star recruits Jalen Johnson, Jeremy Roach and D.J. Steward and four-star power forward Henry Coleman.
“The reason I picked Duke is I just think it’s an unbelievable opportunity to maximize my potential at the fullest," Brakefield told 247Sports. "I think it’s the best fit for me as a person and a basketball player. It’s something I always loved.”
Brakefield hails from Huntington, W. Va. He was scheduled to visit Michigan Friday, but canceled the trip, per 247 Sports. On the Nike EYBL circuit this past summer, Brakefield put up 15.9 points and 6.1 rebounds per game and was Jalen Johnson's AAU teammate.
The 6-foot-8 Brakefield figures to get the lion's share of the minutes at the power forward position, potentially diminishing the role of No. 42-ranked power forward Henry Coleman, who committed one week ago, nearly to the minute. Brakefield is the tallest player in the class, which may be cause for concern if current freshman center Vernon Carey declares for the draft next spring.
Krzyzewski and Duke still have four more offers on the table, including Coleman's 7-foot friend Mark Williams. Only time will tell how the scenario plays out.
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