Shelden Williams is a Blue Devil

The Duke coaching staff began this recruiting season with a single recruiting plan consisting of six top players. On Sunday night in Oklahoma the Blue Devils took the fifth step to completing one of the best recruiting classes in history.

Shelden Williams gave head coach Mike Krzyzewski a verbal commitment during an in home visit. Williams, a 6'9 240lbs power forward was one of the most highly sought after recruits in the nation after posting a very impressive junior campaign at Midwest City High School and an even stronger performance on the summer basketball circuit.

Clint Jackson describes Williams as a "a strong and agile power forward who has great lateral quickness and adds great upper body strength to finish in close to the basket. Very good rebounder and shot-blocker on the interior. Great defender on the perimeter and on the blocks. Nice soft hands to catch ball in traffic. Effective scorer against the double team and good court awareness to pass out of bad situations. "

Williams chose the long favored Blue Devils over Illinois, North Carolina, and Oklahoma.

The official announcement will take place at Midwest City High at 11:15 AM on Tuesday morning.

Duke's Super Six Recruiting Class of 2002 will be complete if the coaching staff can secure a final commitment from 6'10 Shavlik Randolph of Raleigh North Carolina. Other prospects already committed include top 15 Virginia sharp shooter JJ Redick, top 25 Chicago big man Michael Thompson, top 30 Chicago point man Sean Dockery, and top 100 Pennsylvania swing man Lee Melchionni.

The Devils Den will have much more on Shelden in the coming days.