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Jahlil Okafor’s AAU coach believes he and Tyus Jones headed to Duke

Beach Ball Classic Basketball

Whitney Young’s Jahlil Okafor looks for a shot against Scott County during a basketball game at the Beach Ball Classic, Saturday, Dec. 29, 2012, in Myrtle Beach, S.C. (AP Photo/The Sun News, Janet Blackmon Morgan)

AP

There may not be a more important story line for the 2014-2015 basketball season than where Tyus Jones and Jahlil Okafor decide to go to college.

The best point guard in the Class of 2014 and one of the most technically sound big men to come through the high school ranks in a long time -- who also happens to be the top recruit in 2014 -- haven’t been quiet about the idea of playing their college basketball together.

The question that everyone wants to know: Where do they end up?

Jones is down to seven schools and Okafor is down to eight school, and six of them are recruiting both -- Kansas, Kentucky, Michigan State, Ohio State, Baylor and Duke.

The latter is the team that many believe will end up getting both players, and that speculation was fueled by some quotes that were given by Mike Irvin, a coach for Okafor’s AAU team, Mac Irvin Fire.

“[Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski] was at every game, he was the only head coach that was really following Jahlil all over the place,” Irvin told Michael O’Brien of the Chicago Sun-Times. “If [Cliff Alexander] was sitting out it would only be Coach K watching that game. In my mind Duke has a really good chance to land [Okafor]. Coach K has done a good job of recruiting him.”

“I think there is a great chance Tyus is going to Duke,” Irvin said. “So if [Okafor and Tyus] are going to school together...”

Okafor’s father said last week that he believes his son still has no idea where he’s going, and I’ve yet to see an interview where either Okafor or Jones really opened up about where they want to go to college. They may be 17 years old, but they’re media savvy; how many times have you heard them open up about how close their friendship is?

Whatever the case, if Jones and Okafor do end up going to school together, it’s tough to imagine a scenario where that team isn’t the favorite to win the national title.

Unless, of course, Andrew Wiggins pulls a Marcus Smart.

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