No. 1 recruit in nation Marvin Bagley commits to Duke, may play this season
Marvin Bagley III, the consensus No. 1 high school prospect in the world, publicly committed to Duke late Monday in a development that could drastically alter the landscape of college basketball for this upcoming season.
"It's just the brotherhood there," Bagley said in an interview televised by ESPN. "I had a good feeling [about Duke] ever since they offered me a scholarship in the 9th grade. ... I'm just blessed to be in this position."
Bagley also stated publicly for the first time what CBS Sports reported last month -- that he's trying to graduate early, reclassify and play college basketball this season. Whether he'll be able to accomplish as much remains unclear because it's a process that'll ultimately be decided by the NCAA, and it's a process that could easily and reasonably trickle into the start of the season and/or produce a disappointing result. In other words, there's still no guarantee the 6-foot-11 forward will ever actually play college basketball. But is it possible? Yes, multiple sources involved in Bagley's recruitment and familiar with the NCAA's process for granting freshmen eligibility have told CBS Sports it is possible for Bagley to successfully reclassify and play this season. And, if he does, the Blue Devils should be considered the favorites to win the 2018 NCAA Tournament -- which is why Duke has moved to No. 1 in the CBS Sports Preseason Top 25 (and one).
Either way, Bagley is now officially expected to be in the 2018 NBA Draft -- which is huge news because the highly skilled athlete who is terrific around the rim and comfortable away from it will add another top-shelf prospect to a draft that was already supposed to feature Missouri's Michael Porter Jr., Arizona's DeAndre Ayton and EuroLeague star Luka Doncic. Opinions on those prospects differ, obviously. But Bagley is atop some, if not most, NBA franchises' big boards, multiple sources have told CBS Sports.
"I would take him No. 1," one scout told CBS Sports. "I like the others. But MB is my No. 1."