Two players every NBA team might want to tank for in 2015 faced each other
Two of the nation's top five recruits, Duke-bound seniors Tyus Jones and Jahlil Okafor, faced each other Thursday night, and Mike Krzyzewski was on hand in Minnesota.
Jones amassed 29 points (25 in the second half), six assists and five rebounds in front of his home crowd and future college coach, but it wasn't enough, as his Apple Valley High (Apple Valley, Minn.) squad fell to national powerhouse Whitney Young High (Chicago, Ill.), 80-70, thanks to 22 points and 15 boards from Okafor on national television.
Seemingly, 20 of Okafor's points came on dunks in the embedded IAElites.com video.
The two high-profile recruits announced their college decision simultaneously on split screens last month on ESPNU. Their families reportedly shared dinner after the game.
"I've known him since the third grade, and we’re so similar off the court," Okafor told the Minneapolis Star Tribune. "He's a pretty quiet kid. He's my best friend."
A true center with impressive touch around the basket, the 6-foot-10, 270-pound Okafor is Rivals.com's top Class of 2014 recruit. And the 6-foot-1, 171-pound Jones is the nation's second-ranked point guard known for his quickness and decision-making. The two seem to complement each other perfectly for a Blue Devils team likely to lose Jabari Parker.
"Those two are going to be a treat next year," Apple Valley coach Zach Goring told the Star Tribune. "They're perfect for each other. Some of those alley-oops to Jahlil were unbelievable."
Surely, a few NBA front office folks tuned into ESPN2 with an eye towards 2015 on Thursday night.
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