Jahlil Okafor, Tyus Jones commit to Duke

Tyus Jones (above) will join his friend Jahlil Okafor at Duke next season. (Chris Williams/Icon SMI)

Two of the nation's top prospects, Jahlil Okafor and Tyus Jones, committed to Duke simultaneously on national television Friday afternoon. Okafor, the No. 1 player in the nation according to Rivals, and Jones, the No. 5 prospect, have hinted for months that they would attend the same school.

Okafor, a shot blocking center, figures to be a prominent presence in the paint for coach Mike Krzyzewski. Jones, a dynamic point guard, will add to an already deep backcourt. In a blog for USA Today, Jones wrote about his desire to play for the Blue Devils: “With Duke it’s the opportunity to play for Coach K and the style that they play there. I love the way they use their guards, and I feel like I can make an impact right away. Plus they have a great fan base.”

Cliff Alexander, a power forward and the No. 4 player in the class, committed to Kansas. During his announcement, the Chicago native initially picked up a University of Illinois before putting it back in favor of a Kansas Jayhawks cap.

Arizona coach Sean Miller also added to his recruiting resume this year by signing the nation's No. 3 player, small forward Stanley Johnson. Forgoing the standard hat announcement, Johnson held Arizona Wildcats shoes to the camera to show where he had committed. Johnson, a friend and former Oakland Soldiers AAU teammate of star freshman Aaron Gordon, was asked on air if he could convince Gordon to stay for his sophomore year. Johnson responded: "Nah, he's long gone."