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College basketball recruiting roundup: R.J. Barrett picks Duke

By Gabe Esquivel

LEXINGTON, KY - NOVEMBER 10: John Calipari the head coach of the Kentucky Wildcats gives instructions to his team against the Utah Valley Wolverines at Rupp Arena on November 10, 2017 in Lexington, Kentucky. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images)
LEXINGTON, KY - NOVEMBER 10: John Calipari the head coach of the Kentucky Wildcats gives instructions to his team against the Utah Valley Wolverines at Rupp Arena on November 10, 2017 in Lexington, Kentucky. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images) /
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The rich got richer as Duke received a commitment from R.J. Barrett.

This week saw the early signing period in college basketball recruiting wrap up with plenty of high school players signing their National Letter of Intent. A handful of 5-star prospects announced their decisions while other well-known 4-star players made their commitments as well. Not many of these were very surprising, but impactful to the landscape of college basketball regardless.

Here is a quick roundup of the notable decisions from the last week.

R.J. Barrett chooses Duke

The top prospect in the Class of 2018 announced that he will be playing for Coach K and Duke next year. Barrett joins other top-10 recruits in Cam Reddish and Tre Jones in Duke’s 2018 class. He chose the Blue Devils over Oregon and Kentucky, though this was a mostly expected decision.

The Canadian brings an elite all-around game that will make him one of the best players in the country. Duke continues its utter dominance on the recruiting trail with the addition of Barrett.

Kentucky picks up an elite wing player

Keldon Johnson, a top-10 player in the class, announced his decision to play for Coach Calipari and the Wildcats. The 6-foot-6 wing chose Kentucky over Texas, NC State, and Maryland, becoming the second player in their class. Kentucky had taken momentum from Shaka Smart and Texas in recent weeks, and this decision was mostly expected.

Just one day after being snubbed by R.J. Barrett, the Wildcats get a commitment from one of the best remaining wing players in the class. Johnson will bring a mature game with a scoring punch to Lexington. Look for him to thrive in under Coach Cal.

Kentucky picks up another great wing player

The fun for the Wildcats did not stop with Keldon Johnson, as they also received a commitment from Tyler Herro. Herro is a top-30 player who is also one of the best pure scorers in this class. He was initially committed to Wisconsin, but recently re-opened his recruitment. John Calipari quickly made him a priority, and the rest is history.

Herro may not be the elite athlete or have the extraordinary measurables that Kentucky fans are used to seeing, but he can score with anyone in the country. Coach Calipari has got the ball rolling, and do not expect that to stop anytime soon.

Vanderbilt lands its best recruit of the Drew era

5-star point guard Darius Garland announced on Monday that he would be playing at Vanderbilt next year. This is a massive get for Bryce Drew, but one that was expected. Vanderbilt is close to home for Garland, and Bryce Drew has had a relationship with him for over a decade. This level of familiarity and trust was always going to be a massive factor for Garland.

Garland joins Aaron Nesmith in the Vandy’s 2018 class, but the Commodores are very much in reach of two other top ten prospects- Simisola Shittu and Romeo Langford. Bryce Drew could be brewing something special in Nashville for the 2018 season, and that starts with this commitment by Garland.

Florida adds to an impressive class

4-star wing prospect Keyontae Johnson declared his commitment to Florida this week, adding to a stellar class for the Gators. Johnson chose Florida over schools such as Texas Tech, Providence, and Virginia Tech.

Johnson is an underrated player and will provide a scoring burst on the wing. Most likely a four-year player, Johnson could become a star in for Florida and in the SEC. With great 2018 guard prospects Noah Locke and Andrew Nembhard already locked, adding a wing scorer like Johnson makes their class more well-rounded.

Kansas gets the top player in Texas

5-star combo guard Quentin Grimes announced that he would be playing for Bill Self and Jayhawks on Wednesday evening. Though this was expected, Grimes turned down the home team in Texas, as well as Marquette and Kentucky. Grimes joins Devon Dotson, David McCormack, and Silvia De Sousa in what is shaping up to be one of the best recruiting classes in the country.

Grimes is an elite scorer and will fit in perfectly with Bill Self’s two-guard system. While the Jayhawks also have their sights set on top five talent in Romeo Langford and Zion Williamson, getting a bonafide 5-star guard in Grimes will certainly make them happy.