By David Gardner
Bleacher Report
April 2, 2019
WASHINGTON — They wanted to be together. A few years ago, these four sensational freshmen had been strangers scattered across North America. Then, in fits and starts, they formed friendships. They shared meals at AAU tournaments in South Carolina or roomed together at USA Basketball camps in Colorado Springs. And then, beginning in the fall of 2017, Tre Jones, Cam Reddish, RJ Barrett and Zion Williamson committed—not only to Duke but also to each other.
Any of them would have been the prized recruit for almost any college basketball team. Jones was the Russian nesting doll of his brother Tyus, who had guided Duke to a national championship in 2015. Reddish was the do-everything wing who some thought would wind up the most talented NBA player of the four. Barrett was the consensus No. 1 player in the country. And Williamson was a human highlight reel who would soon exhaust every basketball compliment in the English language. When they played together, they were more than just the collection of their talents. They carried with them the invincibility of youth.
See also: Duke Basketball Loss Sad But Good, by Larry Klayman