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Top 5 Chicago, Illinois basketball recruits from the 2010s

By Rees Woodcock

02 APR 2012: Head coach John Calipari and forward Anthony Davis (23) from the University of Kentucky celebrate following the Championship Game of the 2012 NCAA Photos via Getty Images Men's Division I Basketball Championship Final Four held at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome hosted by Tulane University in New Orleans, LA. Kentucky defeated Kansas 67-59 to claim the championship title. Ryan McKee/ NCAA Photos via Getty Images.
02 APR 2012: Head coach John Calipari and forward Anthony Davis (23) from the University of Kentucky celebrate following the Championship Game of the 2012 NCAA Photos via Getty Images Men's Division I Basketball Championship Final Four held at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome hosted by Tulane University in New Orleans, LA. Kentucky defeated Kansas 67-59 to claim the championship title. Ryan McKee/ NCAA Photos via Getty Images. /
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06 April 2015: Duke Blue Devils center Jahlil Okafor (15) clebrates after Duke Blue Devils guard Tyus Jones (5) scores a three point basket in action during the NCAA Championship Basketball game between the Wisconsin Badgers and the Duke Blue Devils, at the Lucas Oil Stadium, in Indianapolis, IN. (Photo by Robin Alam/Icon Sportswire/Corbis/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
06 April 2015: Duke Blue Devils center Jahlil Okafor (15) clebrates after Duke Blue Devils guard Tyus Jones (5) scores a three point basket in action during the NCAA Championship Basketball game between the Wisconsin Badgers and the Duke Blue Devils, at the Lucas Oil Stadium, in Indianapolis, IN. (Photo by Robin Alam/Icon Sportswire/Corbis/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /

No. 3 Jahlil Okafor

There was about a five-year span in the early-to-mid 2010s where the city of Chicago wasn’t just producing great recruits, they were producing the best recruit. Jahlil Okafor was one of those talented prospects.

Okafor was obviously wanted by everyone in the nation. He was rated as a five-star recruit in the class of 2014 who was the No. 1 player in the nation, as a center and in the state of Illinois for Whitney Young High School. Kentucky, Kansas, Baylor, Arizona and Duke were his top five, but he picked the Blue Devils.

Like some of these highly-rated recruits, they only spend one season in the college ranks. Honestly, there is no reason they have to go to college besides the NBA one-and-done rule. But a player like Okafor should have gone straight to the NBA.

Okafor’s one season with Duke was sensational. He managed to average 17.3 points, 8.5 rebounds, 1.4 blocks and 1.3 assists per game. The Blue Devils would enter the NCAA tournament as the No. 1 seed and would storm through the competition. Duke would win the national title over Wisconsin that season.

After college, Okafor went to the NBA where he hasn’t found solid footing. But this kid was sensational coming out of high school and in the college ranks. He is one of the best to ever come out of Chicago. His numbers and team success prove that fact.

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