Jeremy Roach commits to Duke
Jeremy Roach’s ascent up the national rankings last year coincided with a flurry of interest from some of college basketball’s top programs, including Mike Krzyzewski’s Duke Blue Devils.
On Wednesday evening, the Fairfax (Va.) Paul VI product announced his decision to commit to the Blue Devils in a video presentation on Twitter.
The announcement for Duke comes not long after Rivals.com national Corey Evans switched his FutureCast prediction from Villanova to the Blue Devils. Though the pick might come as a surprise for many others, Roach has certainly held the program in high regard since Krzyzewski extended the talented point guard an offer.
Roach, a five-star recruit, who ranks No. 20 in the nation, according to Rivals.com, has long been noted for his polished skill-set.
The class of 2020 standout has grabbed the attention of onlookers everywhere he’s played, including events in which Devils Illustrated has scouted the young talent. In those instances, he passed the eye test almost immediately.
Devils Illustrated recruiting analyst Clint Jackson has raved about Roach for over a year, and believes he is a much better get than even the No. 20 ranking indicates.
“Jeremy Roach is such a big get for Duke in 2020, and for a number of reasons,” Jackson said. “First off, he’s a pure point guard, and he can run the offense, push the tempo and make things cohesive for the players around him. We love that he can play fast and that speed is one of his best traits. But in a half court game, he’s also just as effective, if not more so. He understands the high pick and roll and his passes are on point with the timing. He gets the ball to his mates not only at the right place, but at the right time.
“He just reads the game beautifully and he’s got that shifty burst and change of pace to get into the teeth of the defense and cause it to break down.”
Defensively, Roach checks off the boxes as well. He stood out in this regard often during the USA Basketball minicamp, and with Tre Jones likely to be on his way to the NBA after next season, the Blue Devils will need another force on that end of the court.
While there is certainly more to learn about Roach from a defensive standpoint, Jackson likes what he sees in the 6-foot, 170-pound floor general.
“Defensively, he locks in and slides his feet, putting ball pressure on the opposition and jumping into passing lanes as well.”
Roach’s commitment to the Blue Devils not only strengthens what this team will be able to do on the court in the 2020-21 season, it also helps now.
Duke has a long history of targeting athletic wings and has a strong history, particularly of late, in recruiting dominant post presences.
Roach’s true point guard mentality helps Duke’s cause in recruiting that aspect as well.
“It’s so important to have a great point guard onboard for 2020, because Duke can sell that as an advantage to the wings and bigs that they’re trying to close,” Jackson noted. “They can say “hey, we have a guy who can get you the ball.”
Roach becomes Duke’s first commitment in the class.