College Sports
Email
Print
Duke adds forward, point guard to its basketball class of 2010
ADVERTISEMENT
Published: September 14, 2008
Duke made a twin killing in basketball recruiting yesterday, landing Joshua Hairston and Tyler Thornton for its class of 2010.
Hairston and Thornton, both juniors, committed while on a campus visit and attended Duke's football win over Navy. They also met with Coach Mike Krzyzewski and other members of the Duke coaching staff.
Hairston is 6-8, 210-pound forward from Spotsylvania, Va., and plays for Coach J.T. Nino at Courtland High School. Thornton is a 6-2, 180-pound point guard from Gonzaga High in Washington, D.C.
Nino said that Hairston saw everything he needed to see yesterday to make his decision.
"It's not every day a young man gets to play for arguably the best basketball coach ever," Nino said. "When you put it all on paper, it was really a no-brainer for him."
Both players can sign binding national letters of intent in November 2009, during their senior years. Duke's 2010 class now has three players, including Andre Dawkins, a 6-5 shooting guard from Chesapeake, Va. Hairston, Thornton and Dawkins all play on the same AAU team.
Hairston first visited Duke in July. He also was offered scholarships by Georgetown, Virginia, Virginia Tech, Maryland, Clemson, Ohio State and Kansas.
"After his first visit in the summer, he was leaning toward Duke," Nino said. "It was just a matter of him getting comfortable when Coach K got back from China (and the Olympics). He had a good feeling about the elite status of the program, and I think that just solidified this decision."
Hairston, a starter since his freshman season, averaged 18 points as a sophomore.
Hairston averaged 15 points as a freshman and was Courtland's leading scorer both seasons.
"He's an inside-outside player," Nino said. "He's a big (small forward) or a small (power forward). What makes him so interesting to college programs is he can play with his back to the basket, and he can move out to the perimeter.
"I think that's what made him such a hot commodity, his ability to play inside and outside."
■ Bill Cole can be reached at bcole@wsjournal.com.
Email
Print
