Alex O'Connell to Duke: Blue Devils Land 4-Star SG Prospect

Class of 2017 shooting guard Alex O'Connell announced Friday via his Twitter account that he has committed to Duke:

Out of Alpharetta, Georgia, O'Connell is the ninth-rated prospect in the state, the 16th-ranked shooting guard in the nation and the 71st-ranked recruit in the nation, according to 247Sports' composite ratings. 

The 4-star recruit is Duke's first commit of 2017. He is believed to be a future staple on the wing and a threatening scorer at the NCAA level.

At 6'5", 170 pounds, O'Connell has exhibited at Milton High School that he can score from anywhere on the floor with an above-average three-point shot and a solid mid-range game.

On top of that, he is athletic enough to run the floor well and slash to the basket, where he can finish hard at the rim:

Per 247Sports, O'Connell garnered 20 offers from Division I programs, including Louisville and Syracuse.

Duke runs in his family, as his father, Dave, played with the program in the mid-1970s, per Andrew Slater of 247Sports. 

Given how quickly some of its players (including recent collegiate stars Brandon Ingram and Jahlil Okafor) leave the school for the NBA, Duke also presented the opportunity of immediate playing time for O'Connell, per Slater:

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It would definitely be a place where I have to see if I fit. ... That 2016 class, most of them would either be gone by the time I get there or have one more year left. I think if it comes down to it, I could really see myself fitting in with that class just depending on who commits and who sees themselves playing there too. ...

Oh, yeah, absolutely. I think I could do really good things there. I could do just the same thing as [guards] Grayson Allen or Luke Kennard does now. I think I could do that too.

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While those might be some big shoes to fill at Cameron Indoor Stadium, O'Connell has shown early on that he has the intangibles needed to join such a prestigious program. Depending on the departures of some of Duke's big stars next year such as Allen and Kennard, O'Connell could be starring early on for the Blue Devils.