Signing Day: Oregon caps off a top-five recruiting class

Dana Altman hit the ground running in 2023 as Oregon’s three-man class is signed, sealed, and delivered on the first day of the early signing period.

With two five-stars and four-star, the Ducks class currently ranks 3rd in the 2023 On3 Team Rankings. Their 96.93 class score ranks them first in the Pac 12.

**It is probably worth noting that Oregon might not be done with their 2023 class.

Oregon’s class

Five-star PF Kwame Evans

Height/Weight: 6-10/200
School: Montverde (FL) Academy
On3 Consensus: No. 11

Originally from Baltimore, Kwame Evans Jr. rose to stardom first through the AAU ranks, then at Poly High School in Charm City, and then at national power Montverde Academy. In the 2022 Geico High School National Championship game against Link Academy, Evans scored 11 points. He played his club ball for Team Durant on the Nike EYBL circuit. In the summer of 2022, he averaged 10.9 points, 9.6 rebounds, 2.1 assists, and 1.4 steals throughout Nike’s EYBL Peach Jam. Evans’ father, Kwame Evans Sr., was a standout at George Washington in the 1990s.

It’s the length with Evans, his arms seemingly go forever, and he continues to grow. There is so much there with his game; it is understandable how he can still be putting it all together. Evans has ball skills to re-initiate offense or grab and go off the rebounds. He has excellent vision, as teams are able to play through him from a stationary position in the half-court. Evans is a reliable spot shooter when his feet are set. While he is athletic, there is not a lot of pop in his game, but his enormous wing span makes up for a lot of that. He is great in the passing lanes and has excellent timing as a shot-blocker. He will need to continue adding strength, but that will come as he is still young. The upside is huge, and the light is coming on.

Five-star SF Mookie Cook

Height/Weight: 6-7/200
School: Chandler (AZ) AZ Compass
On3 Consensus: No. 19

Mookie Cook is a star both on and off the court. Off the court, he took on the role of playing a young LeBron James in “Shooting Stars,” a movie coming out in 2023. Cook went through the recruiting process twice. He originally committed to Oregon in March 2022 before backing away from the Ducks in June and eventually picking them again a few weeks later. Cook is originally from Jefferson, Oregon, and he played through his sophomore season at Jefferson High. However, he eventually moved to AZ Compass Prep after the 2021 season.

Cook has all the tools. At 6-foot-8, he has the positional size. The broad shoulders and long arms showcase a projectable frame. Cook is a functional athlete, and he has a smooth release on his jump shot with range. The question mark with Cook is his consistency. He seems to get lost in the shuffle a good amount, not imposing his will on the flow of the game. Cook has a tendency to settle for jump shots. He has the dimensions and physical traits to be a good team defender. This upcoming summer will be a big one in the development of Cook figuring out who and what he is as a prospect and player. The tools are there; the upside is still pretty high.

Four-star PG Jackson Shelstad

Height/Weight: 6-0/PG
School: West Linn (OR) High
On3 Consensus: No. 55

Jackson Shelstad is a quick-on-quick point guard. He plays with a great pace and makes good decisions with the ball. He touches the paint in the half-court and has range that extends out to 35 feet. Shelstad will need to continue getting stronger. He can get caught up in playing east and west and settling for deep jumpers instead of attacking the rim. His teammates seem to like playing with him, and he competes. Consistency will be a thing with him. Has upside as a point-of-attack defender.