Wayne Selden, Photo by Andrew Slater/BDN

Blessed with a preternatural ability to score, Wayne Selden is a strapping 6’5″ power guard from the Tilton School of New Hampshire.  Although he’s been playing varsity basketball since he was a seventh grader in his native Roxbury, Massachusetts, he announced his arrival as a reclassified freshman last season when he scored twenty-six points and knocked down six three-pointers in his opening game for Tilton at the National Prep Showcase.

The 2014 prospect went on to earn second-team All-NEPSAC Class AA in the best high school conference in the country. Last March, at Endicott College, Wayne Selden capped off his freshman season by scoring twenty-two points for the Rams of Tilton in a 72-56 Class AA Title game win against St. Mark’s, which featured Arizona commitment Kaleb Tarczewski, Michigan commitment Nik Stauskas, and Duke redshirt freshman Alex Murphy.

The winning ways didn’t end there as Selden, blessed with a 6’10″ wingspan, helped multiple Boston Amateur Basketball Clubs (BABC) achieve success throughout the AAU season. His 17-U team went 80-4 over the spring and summer, notably winning Nike’s EYBL Peach Jam, while his 16-U team was named number one overall by Five Star Basketball after capturing the AAU National Title in Orlando. He’s become quite close to BABC staff member and former BC guard Steve Hailey.

Following the AAU season, Wayne was diagnosed with Compartment Syndrome and had to have surgery to alleviate the pain associated with the malady. If, after sitting out Tilton’s first few weeks of pre-season training, there were any concerns about his ability to maintain his explosiveness, Selden answered them quickly last month as the sophomore scored thirty-four points against the best prep school team in the country, Brewster Academy, in a tough 84-76 loss. In a rematch against Brewster, Selden scored sixteen points on six of ten shooting in a packed house at Springfield College in another tough loss, 57-53.

Afterwards, Wayne Selden gave a quick update about, amongst other things, the latest in his recruiting, Duke’s interest, and what he’ll be looking for in his future college program.

Stanley Johnson, Photo by Andrew Slater of BDN

Stanley Johnson, a 6’6″ wing from Mater Dei, has experienced  quite a bit in the past year. As a freshman, the Fullerton native helped the Monarchs of Mater Dei win their eighth state title, grabbing fifteen rebounds in the state title game against De La Salle. Johnson was named a MaxPreps Freshman All-American.

Last June, Stanley was expected to give a defensive presence to the USA U-16 team as they competed for the FIBA Americas U-16 Championship in Mexico. Although Johnson was the youngest member of the USA U-16 team, he wound up starting the first two games in Cancun, against Brazil and Argentina, respectively, before suffering a fracture-dislocation of his left index finger at 4:03 of the first quarter of the second game, which eliminated his ability to play for the remainder of the tournament. Despite the injury, the 2014 prospect enjoyed representing his country, his time with his eleven teammates, including roommate and friend Tyus Jones,  and scored fourteen points in the opening game against Brazil.

The youngest of five, Johnson gets some of his pedigree and tutelage from his mother, Karen Taylor, who was able to play both forward positions at Jackson State and professionally in France. He wears the number 41 in honor of her, believing that four plus one means grace.

Last month, Stanley, a sophomore, was tasked by Mater Dei head coach Gary McKnight with guarding Duke 2012 recruit, Shabazz Muhammad, at the City of Palms in Ft. Myers, FL. Johnson held arguably the most explosive scorer in the 2012 class to two first-half points by forcing him to use his right hand. This Monday at the HoopHall Classic at Springfield College, he overcame  a sub-par shooting night (3/10 FG) to contribute a team-high fifteen rebounds and nine points, while utilizing his athleticism and physical play to employ solid defense on Christ The King. The night before he won the 2012 Hoop Hall Slam Dunk Contest with an explosive dunk off of a pass out of the bleachers from his senior teammate Katin Reinhardt.

Stanley Johnson spoke afterwards with Blue Devil Nation about a variety of issues, including his experience with USA Basketball, his mother’s influence, Duke’s recent interest, defending Austin Rivers, and being labeled a team player.

Talk about the game today. 

It was a really good win for the team. We had a lot of guys get into the game, which is always good. We played really hard and I think it was one of the best games we played this season… and it showed on the scoreboard. I think if we keep playing like we did today,  we’ll be pretty good.

Well, you guys play a pretty competitive schedule.

Playing a competitive schedule makes you play harder because you have the ability to lose at any time. Our coach says that he’s going to schedule us in these competitive games because we play harder in these harder games and he wants to challenge us.

Jabari Parker

BDN Recruiting Analyst, Andrew Slater is covering the Hoop Hall Classic in Springfield, Massachusetts where several key Duke prospects are playing through Monday.  While he is sharing a bit of information on our twitter site, he is sharing a whole lot more to Blue Devil Nation Premium members on the message board as it happens. He just talked to Amile Jefferson and we’ll be hearing the latest there.  He’s keeping tabs on Julian Randle as well, not to mention Shabazz Muhammad, Tony Parker and of course Jabari Parker.  Join today and catch up on the happenings and then check out the interviews as the week goes on for once again, BDN is front row and center when the nations top prospects gather.

Julius Randle visited Duke yesterday - BDN Photo

(We have now made this a public video) I had the pleasure of talking with ESPN’s Jason Jordan about Duke Basketball Recruting during the recent Holiday Invitational in Raleigh.  I got Jordan’s thoughts on Julius Randle, the latest on Tony Parker, Theo Pinson, Jaquell Richmond and Tyus Jones and more in this exclusive BDN Video for our premium members.

Next up – Recruiting Update

Pic courtesy of JohnnyJungle.com

There is a new name on the Duke radar and his name is Ricardo Gathers, a manly 6-7 presence in the post who hails from Louisiana where he plays for Riverside Academy.  Gathers, who was set to go to St. John’s but backed out of his verbal commitment and reopened the process.  A couple of big name schools are now on him and Gathers tells us about that and much more in this one on one interview conducted by BDN correspondent Travis Boyd.  And when asked of Duke, Gathers made it no secret that he hold immense respect for the program and that he is … well, it all lies ahead.  Remember, we are still running a 20% off special on a yearly membership to Blue Devil Nation Premium, where all the latest inside information awaits you as does our members only message board to discuss the latest.  Just sign up for a year and we’ll send you 20 bucks back through paypal.  Isn’t it time to see BDN Premium for yourself and see what others are talking about?

Suppose somebody had never seen you play before.  How would you describe your game in your own words?

Very physical, a lock down on D.  I’m a rebounding factor and I like playing with my teammates man and as I go, I know they go, so …

What are you looking for in a program.  What are some of the most important factors?

I want to play with somebody that is a winner and a coach who brings out the best in me and communicates with me and make me a better player.

What’s your list of schools right now?

Baylor, Duke, N.C. State, Florida, LSU, St. Johns and USC and Cal.

Which schools or who has been the most aggressive in your recruitment of late?