The 2020 college basketball season is a year away but for the No. 1 Oregon women’s basketball team and high school seniors across the country, the future started on Wednesday.
The Ducks are probably used to the “No. 1” wording: the No. 1 ranking in the nation; the No. 1 player in the nation in Sabrina Ionescu; and now the No. 1 recruiting class for the 2020 season.
Yesterday, five of the top 33 players in high school hoops signed their National Letters of Intent to join Coach Kelly Graves and the Oregon program.
These players include: Sydney Parrish (a 6-foot, five-star shooting guard from Indiana); Kylee Watson (a 6-foot-3 five-star forward from New Jersey); Maddie Scherr (a 5-foot-11 five-star guard from Kentucky); Angela Dugalic (a 6-foot-4 five-star forward from Illinois); and Te-Hina Paopao (a 5-foot-9 five-star guard from California).
Hey duck nation.... scoducks💚🦆💛 pic.twitter.com/tiTjmxwiLN
— sydddd (@sydney_parrish) April 15, 2019
Unreal. Beyond blessed and excited for the next 4 years. Let’s go!! 💛🐣 #signed✅ #officiallyofficial pic.twitter.com/M7nEJ2O6LF
— Kylee Watson (@kyleewatsonn) November 13, 2019
Thank you Lord, my family & LJCDS for making this day possible.
— T PAOPAO (@tpaopao12) November 14, 2019
I am excited for the opportunity that is ahead of me by signing today to officially become a part of the Oregon Duck Family....💚🙏🏽 #SCODUCKS💛 pic.twitter.com/bkT6CBxjak
Not to be overlooked, Graves’ elite recruiting has an impact all over the country. Only Paopao is from the west coast.
222 days ago when Ionescu wrote a letter to Ducks Nation in the Players’ Tribune, she stated that Oregon was building something special. Although Ducks fans are witnessing greatness from Ionescu and for just this final season, the program is sustaining itself for the post-Ionescu (and Ruthy Hebard) era. It just goes to show that she was right; that Oregon is a prestigious basketball program that isn’t run by just one individual. The Ducks have gone from under 1,000 fans attending their games in 2014 to now season tickets being limited ahead of the 2019 season.
What MKA looked like at @maitecazorla5 & @OtiGildon 1st game as Ducks (<900) to their most recent (12,364). YOU’VE built this! YOU’VE meant everything to this Program! And we say THANK YOU!!!#Family #Ducks4Life #NotDoneYet pic.twitter.com/YAa1dkv9oo
— Kelly Graves (@GoDucksKG) February 21, 2019
The Oregon Ducks aren't going anywhere anytime soon.
MORE ON THE DUCKS
How Oregon can beat Arizona to become kings of the North