CSN Chicago will be following Chicago (IL) Whitney Young and the team’s Duke-bound star center, Jahlil Okafor, throughout the ’13-14 season. The first installment of the “DRIVE” webisode series focuses on signing day and the Chicago Elite Classic, which tips off on Saturday, December 7. More from CSN Chicago:
Whitney Young’s three seniors, Jahlil Okafor, Miles Reynolds and Paul White, are focused on one thing: proving their superb talent now matches the three years of experience the trio has together. And even though all three have signed to different Division 1 schools, they remain motivated to win, saying all they are missing now is a state championship.
Reynolds, a heady floor general and speedster who can turn on the jets in transition, signed with St. Louis University while White, a crafty 6-foot-8 low post scorer and strong defensive presence, signed with Georgetown University. White will join head coach John Thompson III who has coached notable forwards like Boston Celtics’ Jeff Green and the Washington Wizards 2013 No. 3 overall pick Otto Porter Jr., making White’s dream of one day playing in the NBA promising.
And while both signings were indeed noteworthy, the most anticipated announcement came from Okafor, who had all of America tuned in to ESPN just a few short weeks ago as he decided to take his talents to Cameron Indoor Stadium. Okafor is eager to learn from the winningest head coach in basketball history, Mike Krzyzewski, and help lead the Blue Devils to yet another national championship alongside best friend, Apple Valley H.S. point guard Tyus Jones, who will be joining him at Duke.
“My relationship with Coach K is great,” Okafor went on to say. “That was kinda the tipping point for me to choose Duke. Coach K is considered the best coach in college basketball if not the best coach regardless of any sport. I felt like if I went to Duke he would shape me as a better person not just a player and just the brand of Duke itself is really going to be beneficial for me also. But I love Coach K to death.”
But before the Young trio can embark on collegiate goals, they first have to conquer their senior season which is set to begin December 7 against a powerful St. John Bosco team at the second annual Chicago Elite Classic at the UIC Pavilion. The California squad is home to the lethal 2015 guard Tyler Dorsey — reminiscent of a young John Wall—6-6 UConn commit Daniel Hamilton, and White’s fellow Georgetown signee Tre Campbell.
