SG Matt Jones commits to Duke

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Matt Jones, one of the elite junior shooting guard prospects in the nation and ESPNU's No. 21 overall junior, called Mike Krzyzewski Monday and ended his recruitment by committing to Duke.

The DeSoto, Texas product is the Blue Devils' first commitment from the Class of 2013.

Long considered a Duke lean, Jones figured it was time to make it official.

"I never had a timetable when I was going to do it," Jones said. "I always said when it felt right I'd get it off my chest. My parents are happy and the people that support me are happy and I felt like I couldn't go wrong."

Texas, Florida, Kansas and North Carolina comprised the finalists for the guard who drained 3-pointers at a 45-percent clip as a sophomore.

Duke has always kept its cupboards stocked with shooters and the Blue Devils told Jones he compared favorably to the program's all-time leading scorer.

"They tried to compare me a little to J.J. Redick in that we both can shoot and they'd get me open like they did him," Jones said. Jones plays for the same traveling team as Julius Randle, ESPNU's No. 3 overall recruit. Randle is also a primary Duke target. For Jones, the allure of playing for the game's all-time leader in coaching victories was powerful.

"It's the way they play and Coach K," Jones said. "Everybody respects him and what they stand for with academics on and off the court. They can get me to the next level as a person and a man and as a player to continue to improve my game."

Dave Telep is the senior basketball recruiting analyst for ESPN.com. He can be reached at espndt@gmail.com.

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Dave Telep

ESPN.com

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