Duke Lands Fourth 2016 5-Star Recruit in Center Marques Bolden

Already a massive class that features two of the top three ranked players in the Class of 2016 in power forward Harry Giles and and small forward Jayson Tatum, and three of the top-15 players when counting elite point guard Frank Jackson, the Duke Blue Devils incoming freshman class of 2016 only got stronger on Wednesday when DeSoto (TX) senior Marques Bolden announced his intentions of hooping in Durham this fall.

More from the Dallas Morning News:

When five-star center Marques Bolden ended his long recruiting saga on Thursday in DeSoto’s gym and announced he would attend Duke instead of Kentucky, his mom, Carolyn, let out a scream.

 

“I didn’t know!” she told the crowd as she got emotional. 

 

Carolyn had been a long-time supporter of Duke in Marques’ recruitment. Marques later said he opted not tell his mom because he was the one attending the school.

 

“I wanted to make this decision for me,” Marques said. 

 

He cited his relationship with the Duke coaching staff as the deciding factor in his decision, saying he felt comfortable talking about anything with them, whether it be on the court or off. 

In the end it worked out for Carolyn too. 

 

“I was just so happy,” said Carolyn, who quickly found a bedazzled ‘Duke’ shirt to wear. “He kept saying, he didn’t know right now. He kept saying he really wasn’t sure right now at the time. As a mother I want to support him, but I still gave him my thought and opinion.”