Duke powers up with signature from five-star forward

Originally posted on FanNation Blue Devil Country
By Matt Giles | Last updated 11/10/22

TJ Power became the final addition to the five-deep 2023 Duke basketball recruiting class with his commitment to the Blue Devils in September. But on Wednesday, the first day of the early signing period, the Worcester Academy (Mass.) power forward did not hesitate to make his pledge official.

At No. 24 overall on the 247Sports 2023 Composite, Power is the lowest-ranked member of Duke's top-ranked collection. That said, his moves, which extend to all areas of the court, appear as refined as any of the four other high school seniors on tap to be Blue Devils next season.

Consider that the 6-foot-8, 210-pound four-star, whose game has some similarities to that of former Duke basketball great Kyle Singler, is already 19 years old. In other words, he'll be 20 by the time he plays his first game for the Blue Devils.

As 247Sports' Adam Finkelstein pointed out in his scouting report of the stretch-four talent this summer, TJ Power's wealth of athletic experiences, admirable development on the hardwood, and rising stock across his five years of prep ball should bode well for Duke early in his college career:

Power came up the ranks as a two-sport star who doubled as a left-handed pitcher on the baseball diamond. Of course, he played basketball as a righty, illustrating how he was literally ambidextrous. While he's been a high-major prospect for years now, his recruitment blew up this summer in correlation to the gains he has made as a three-point shooter within the last year, as he is now stretching the floor with accurate consistency...Power is a well-rounded athlete with mobility and agility..."

Power isn't the only power forward in the Blue Devils' class. The other is Montverde Academy (Fla.) five-star Sean Stewart, whose No. 8 composite ranking is the second highest among next season's Duke newcomers.

This article first appeared on FanNation Blue Devil Country and was syndicated with permission.

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