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Bagley commitment makes Duke the team to beat

Josh Lefkowitz / Getty Images Sport / Getty

The rich get richer.

With Marvin Bagley III's commitment to Duke Monday night, the Blue Devils head into the 2017-18 season as the odds-on favorites to walk away with their sixth national championship in April.

Bagley represents the cherry on top of Duke's stellar recruiting class. It already featured Gary Trent Jr., Trevon Duval, and Wendell Carter - who was the top power forward in the class of 2017 before Bagley reclassified from 2018 at the last minute. (And the Blue Devils still look good for next year even with Bagley out of that class - they have a commitment so far from Tre Jones, brother of former Dookie Tyus Jones.)

That makes Duke just the second program since 2007 to have four top-10 freshmen entering the season. Bagley, a consensus top-two pick in next June's NBA draft, comes in at 6-foot-11 and 220 pounds - with a 7-foot wingspan and great footwork - plus the skills to play all three frontcourt positions. Part of his summer included run with the likes of James Harden and Chris Paul at L.A.'s Drew League, where he shut down JaVale McGee.

Bagley will graduate from Sierra Canyon School in suburban Los Angeles in August, but has family roots in North Carolina, which apparently helped sway his decision. His father, Marvin Bagley Jr., played football at North Carolina A&T.

Despite the talent infusion, there are obviously no guarantees. While Duke becomes the first team since Kentucky in 2011 and 2012 to land the nation's top prospects in back-to-back years, Harry Giles' disappointing 2016-17 season in Durham proves anything can happen.

Yet the Blue Devils' depth here is unmatched. Provocateur Grayson Allen is returning for his senior year, and center Marques Bolden gets a clean slate after an injury-plagued freshman season.

In terms of this year's frosh, Trent Jr. is another player to watch. The son of former NBA player Gary Trent is a scoring machine who will be asked to pick up where Jayson Tatum left off. Duval, meanwhile, gives Duke the true point guard it's lacked since the older Jones left.

With Bagley's decision to reclassify, South Carolina's Zion Williamson and Canadian R.J. Barrett move to the top of the 2018 rankings. Duke, of course, figures to be in play for both.

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