No. 1 2018 recruit R.J. Barrett commits to Duke

R.J. Barrett is No. 1 on the 2018 ESPN 100 - and now, No. 21 in the Blue Devils' program next season.

Barrett officially declared his commitment to Duke for next year on Friday.

Barrett, a 6-foot-8 small forward from Canada, has turned heads due to his supremely athletic build, polished skills, pedigree, and maturity. His father, Rowan Barrett, is the executive vice president of Canada Basketball, and his godfather is future Hall of Famer Steve Nash.

A native of Mississauga, Ontario, Barrett is currently attending Montverde Academy in Florida. The school has produced several recent blue-chip NBA talents, including Philadelphia 76ers big men Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons, and Brooklyn Nets point guard D'Angelo Russell.

This past summer was pivotal for the Canuck. As the fulcrum of his young national team, Barrett powered Canada to a gold medal at the 2017 FIBA Under-19 Basketball World Cup - including a 38-point outing against Team USA in the semi-final. On July 31, Barrett reclassified to the 2018 class, overtaking undeclared power forward Zion Williamson for top spot in the rankings.

Duke had already locked up 2018's No. 3 prospect, small forward Cam Reddish, which gives coach Mike Krzyzewski a powerful freshman tandem on the wings for next season. Tre Jones, the No. 10 recruit for 2018, is also in the fold. Barrett joins Marvin Bagley III and Harry Giles as the third straight No. 1 recruit to commit to Coach K's program.

Asked whether his tenure with the Blue Devils would last for just one season before he makes a jump to the professional ranks, Barrett told TSN: "That's the plan, I hope."

Barrett is considered a strong bet to go first overall in the 2019 NBA Draft should he declare after his freshman season.