Everything you need to know about where Canada’s top basketball prospects will be playing next season. (Getty Images)

When R.J. Barrett announced that he would be attending Duke University next season, the news flooded social media timelines for days. Basketball fans knew where four out of the five of Canada’s top prospects would be heading, but they were still waiting on one final decision to be announced.

On Nov. 22, Simisola “Simi” Shittu took to social media to tell the world his not-so-secretive decision that he would be attending Vanderbilt University next season. With this announcement via The Players’ Tribune, all five of Canada’s top prospects have picked their schools for next season.

Simi Shittu wants to let you know where he's going to college. But first, he has some people from his life to thank. @LanX_Sims pic.twitter.com/CTv7iBoCQq — The Players' Tribune (@PlayersTribune) November 22, 2017





SIMI SHITTU, Vanderbilt University

In late September, Simi Shittu announced his official visits would include the University of Arizona, University of North Carolina, and Vanderbilt University — and on Nov. 22, he announced that it was Vanderbilt that made the lasting impression.

With Arizona assistant coach Emmanuel Richardson still under federal investigation after being accused of taking $20,000 in bribes to pay a recruit to commit to the school, it was commonly thought that Shittu would informally pick between UNC and Vandy. But after cancelled visits to North Carolina and Arizona, it became clear what his ultimate decision would be.

The Tar Heels signed a five-star PG back in July 2016 in Coby White, and two small forwards; four-star Rechon Black and five-star Nassir Little, so it didn’t look like there would be enough ball to share if Shittu injected himself into an already stacked roster.

Less than two weeks ago, when five-star PG Darius Garland committed to the Commodores, it was in the back of basketball junkies’ minds how dangerous the duo of Garland and five-star Shittu would be on the hardwood — and it seems like Shittu agreed.





Vanderbilt is going on a freshmen frenzy; in addition to the pass-first point guard, and the Canadian big man, Vandy also clinched four-star Aaron Nesmith earlier this year — making 2018 one of the best incoming classes the program has ever seen. With a slew of freshman on this year’s roster and only three seniors, next year’s team has a chance to grow with each other under the leadership of the big-three-freshmen and make a push for the championship after being upset early in this past year’s March Madness tournament.

R.J. BARRETT, Duke University

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As Canada’s unanimous top prospect for the class of 2018 — after reclassifying late this past summer — five-star R.J. Barrett announced his commitment to Duke University on Nov. 10. He had already narrowed down his top three schools to Oregon University, University of Kentucky and Duke, but for anyone who knows him, Duke was always the right pick for a player looking to go one-and-done to the NBA.

#1 ranked player in 2018 @RjBarrett6 is set to commit on Friday! Top schools are Duke, Oregon & Kentucky. ➡️ https://t.co/c0OC7BgPq8 pic.twitter.com/UKG7qBT7Ob — Courtside Films (@CourtsideFilms) November 6, 2017

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