“I feel Coach K and Duke are the best fit for me,” said Livingston. “It’s the best decision I could make for me and my life both in and beyond basketball.”
While many fans from Duke, Illinois, and Arizona fretted over the impending announcement, Shaun had long since put the fears to rest in Durham in an informal conversation with Coach K on Monday night.
“We talked for around 45 minutes and at the end of the phone call I told him I was coming to Duke. It was a very tough decision for me. Illinois made it very tough for me, but in the end Duke was the place I felt was best.”
Quick to squash any backlash, Livingston spoke out on rumors of influence and just what made him end up a Blue Devil.
“This is solely my decision to go to Duke, and nobody influenced me in any way. It was all about the style of play and the conference and exposure Duke gets, plus they have terrific academics. I didn’t think my game fit in very well in the Big Ten compared to the ACC.”
Livingston, who is widely considered the best college bound prospect in the country, joins fellow top 15 recruit DeMarcus Nelson , and top 50 recruit David McClure of Trinity Catholic (CT) High School as the members of the prep class of 2004.
TheInsiders.coms Dave Telep spoke with TheDevilsDen.com about Livingstons decision:
"For the last two years, I've though that Shaun Livingston is the best point guard in America. His overall package at the position is awesome. From posting up smaller guards to his super vision, he's big time.
I think down the road, as his career progresses, he's going to be one of the best to play the position in college in recent memory. In my mind, he raises the expectations of a program and team.
As for his joining Nelson, I think that's a great thing. Nelson loves to get out and run and to me, Livingston is the perfect running mate for transition, slashing players."