Top Recruits Pick Duke, Kansas and Arizona

Alexander

You could hear the groan throughout the nation. Around 3:15 central time on Friday the entire state of Illinois took a kick below the belt as they watched two of the top recruits in the nation from their state choose out-of-state schools. It has become a feeling that's all-too-familiar as the top recruits from the Land of Lincoln have made a habit of taking their talents elsewhere.

At Whitney Young, the number one recruit, Jahlil Okafor, decided to go to Duke which now makes it two straight years that the state's top player has gone to Tobacco Road. It's also the first time Duke has landed the top recruit since the ESPN rankings were created in 2007. Okafor eliminated Illinois from his list months ago, but it still stings. He will team up with the nation's number four recruit, point guard Tyus Jones. The two wanted to go to the same school and they will join a Duke team that should be very good next season. Jones is the highest-rated point guard since Kyrie Irving, who played in 11 games for the Blue Devils during one season in Durham.

Cliff Alexander, the third-rated recruit, was choosing between Kansas and Illinois and the day was tabbed as "Cliffmas" for U of I fans. All they got was a lump of coal and a classless move by the senior from Curie High School. Alexander reached for the Illini cap, got half way to his head with it, put it back on the table and grabbed the Kansas cap. It was a kid pulling a little good-natured prank, but it came across as something completely different. In one day, the hopes of Illinois basketball took a major hit. You can watch Alexander's announcement on the Youtube link below and you can read Nate's post on Illinois' great recruiting class right here. However, there is no Alexander for the Illini and they also learned yesterday that Quentin Snider decommitted from the program and signed with Louisville.

That's the definition of a tough day.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_scuhxcFMxY

In an overlooked West Coast signing, Sean Miller and the Arizona Wildcats signed Stanley Robinson, ranked number nine in the nation. The signing of Robinson makes him the fourth top-ten ranked recruit to go to Tucson in the last four years. Only Kentucky has more in that span with eight. Robinson's commitment gives 'Zona three top-100 recruits for the 2014 season and that's a much-needed class considering there could be several Wildcats departing for the NBA after this season.

For Arizona, Duke and Kansas it was a great day, but it was just another day. The rich got richer. For Illinois it was a bad, bad day. It's not the end of the world, but it's certainly not a day that Illini fans will look back on with happy thoughts. For the rest of college basketball fans, circle Tuesday, November 18th, 2014 on your calendar. That will be the next edition of the Champions Classic in Indianapolis and it will be the first time fans can get a good look at Okafor, Jones and Alexander.