Hey all,
First off, I know the fact that Bill Self and Kurtis Townsend weren’t visible during the July evaluation period has been discussed, but I just wanted to step in really quick and give a few thoughts. Obviously, the situation isn’t ideal, but I don’t think it’s to have any type of impact on KU’s 2023 recruiting class. If you read my most recent update on five-star big man Dennis Evans, his coach, Elvert “Kool-Aid” Perry isn’t a concern at all to Evens, the 7-foot-2, 215-pound center from Hillcrest High School in Riverside, Calf.
In what many consider to be a down year, in terms of overall talent, I don’t think KU’s current situation, specifically with Self and Townsend, will impact this class at all.
Really, if you look at it, Mikey Williams, the 6-foot-1, 175-pound point guard from San Ysidro High School in San Diego, Calf., has already visited Kansas. The No. 19 ranked player in the 2023 class arrived for his official visit on June 27. Taison Chatman, the 6-foot-3, 175-pound shooting guard from Totino Race High School in Fridley, Minn., has already taken an official visit to Kansas. Chatman, the No. 67 ranked player in the 2023 class, was in town for an official visit on June 25. Recently, Chatman, a four-star prospect, narrowed his list of schools down to Kansas, Xavier, Minnesota, Ohio State, and Virginia.
Dennis Evans, the No. 11 ranked player in the 2023 class, is scheduled to officially visit Kansas the weekend of Late Night in the Phog.
Chris Johnson, the 6-foot-6, 192-pound shooting guard from Montverde (FL) Academy arrived for his official visit to Kansas on Monday. The plan, obviously, is to get a complete update on Johnson, the No. 56 ranked player in the class, as soon as I can. Norm Roberts has done an absolutely amazing job recruiting T.J. Power, the 6-foot-10, 210-pound power forward from Worcester (MA) Academy, and Bill Self has left an impression on the No. 61 ranked player in the 2023 class. However, whether a visit to Kansas takes place or not, Notre Dame has positioned itself very well with Power, a four-star prospect.
I know things between Kansas and Ugonna Kingsley Onyenso, the 7-foot-0, 200 center from Putnam (CT) Science Academy looked serious at one time, but it sounds like the No. 35 ranked player in the 2023 class is going to Kentucky.
I’m sure this is going to upset some of you, but I don’t expect anything to happen between Kansas and Kaden Cooper, the 6-foot-6, 180-pound small forward from The Skill Factory Prep in Atlanta, Ga. Originally from Ada, Okla., it sounds like Gonzaga is the team to beat for Cooper, the No. 36 ranked player in the class. Now, can things change? Absolutely. Nothing is done until signing day. However, I was just told that once Gonzaga offered, it was going to be tough for Cooper to look elsewhere. I remember a conversation that I had with Cooper a couple of months ago, and he made it clear that, at the time, the only visit he was sure about was Gonzaga.
I tried my best to get a few minutes with LeBron James, Jr., the 6-foot-2, 170-pound shooting guard from Sierra Canyon High School in Chatsworth, Calif., during the Nike EYBL event in Kansas City a couple of weeks ago, but he was hands-off. Honestly, I’ve got no idea what James, Jr., the No. 58 ranked player in the 2023 class is thinking or feeling when it comes to his recruitment. He’s never talked to a member of the media – at least that I’m aware of.
At one point or another, guys like Dennis Parker, the 6-foot-6, 180-pound small forward from John Marshall High School in Richmond, Va., Assane Diop, the 6-foot-10, 215-pound power forward from Belleview Christian School in Westminster, Colo., Cameron Barnes, the 6-foot-10, 200-pound center from Duncanville (TX) High School, Jazz Gardner, the 7-foot-0, 225-pound center from West Ranch High School in Santa Clarita, Calif., Corey Chest, Jr., the 6-foot-8, 180-pound power forward from McMain High School in New Orleans, La., Trey Green, the 5-foot-11, 170-pound point guard from Link Year in Branson, Mo., Justin McBride, the 6-foot-8, 200-pound power forward from Plano (TX) High School, Tyler Bey, the 6-foot-8, 180-pound small forward from Fairfax High School in Los Angeles, Calif., Elmarko Jackson, the 6-foot-3, 180-pound point guard from South Kent (CT) High School, Brady Dunlap, the 6-foot-7, 200-pound shooting guard from Harvard Westlake High School in Los Angeles, Calif., and Dalen Davis, the 5-foot-11, 165-pound point guard from Whitney Young High School in Chicago, Ill., have either mentioned Kansas has offered, Kansas is interested, or Kansas has just started showing interest.
For instance, Justin McBride, while at Oak Hill Academy in Mouth of Wilson, Va., had mentioned that Kansas had extended a scholarship offer. However, ultimately made the move to Plano (TX) High School, and in his most recent update, there was no mention of Kansas.
I’ve reached out to Corey Chest, Jr., who was recently offered my Kansas within the last couple of months. Brady Dunlap, a three-star shooting guard, was offered by Kansas more than a year ago, but during my conversation with him at Nike EYBL, he mentioned that if Kansas invited him out for a visit, that’s something he would do.
Truthfully, I’m interested to see what happens with Brady Dunlap. Currently, he’s got offers from the likes of Kansas, Arkansas, Loyola Marymount, Minnesota, Pepperdine, Rice, San Diego State, USC, Washington, Wyoming, and Xavier. Additionally, Indiana, Wisconsin, and others have shown serious interest in the talented shooting guard.
I’m guessing, because it’s the case every year, some new names will begin to emerge from the 2023 class in the coming weeks and months. However, at this time, I think it's safe to say that Dennis Evans, Mikey Williams, Chris Johnson, T.J. Power, and Taison Chatman are the names that I would really pay attention to at this time. Obviously, these aren’t the only guys in the 2023 class that Kansas has expressed interest in, but Williams, Johnson, and Chatman have visited, Evans has scheduled a visit, and Power is seriously considering a visit to Kansas.
First off, I know the fact that Bill Self and Kurtis Townsend weren’t visible during the July evaluation period has been discussed, but I just wanted to step in really quick and give a few thoughts. Obviously, the situation isn’t ideal, but I don’t think it’s to have any type of impact on KU’s 2023 recruiting class. If you read my most recent update on five-star big man Dennis Evans, his coach, Elvert “Kool-Aid” Perry isn’t a concern at all to Evens, the 7-foot-2, 215-pound center from Hillcrest High School in Riverside, Calf.
In what many consider to be a down year, in terms of overall talent, I don’t think KU’s current situation, specifically with Self and Townsend, will impact this class at all.
Really, if you look at it, Mikey Williams, the 6-foot-1, 175-pound point guard from San Ysidro High School in San Diego, Calf., has already visited Kansas. The No. 19 ranked player in the 2023 class arrived for his official visit on June 27. Taison Chatman, the 6-foot-3, 175-pound shooting guard from Totino Race High School in Fridley, Minn., has already taken an official visit to Kansas. Chatman, the No. 67 ranked player in the 2023 class, was in town for an official visit on June 25. Recently, Chatman, a four-star prospect, narrowed his list of schools down to Kansas, Xavier, Minnesota, Ohio State, and Virginia.
Dennis Evans, the No. 11 ranked player in the 2023 class, is scheduled to officially visit Kansas the weekend of Late Night in the Phog.
Chris Johnson, the 6-foot-6, 192-pound shooting guard from Montverde (FL) Academy arrived for his official visit to Kansas on Monday. The plan, obviously, is to get a complete update on Johnson, the No. 56 ranked player in the class, as soon as I can. Norm Roberts has done an absolutely amazing job recruiting T.J. Power, the 6-foot-10, 210-pound power forward from Worcester (MA) Academy, and Bill Self has left an impression on the No. 61 ranked player in the 2023 class. However, whether a visit to Kansas takes place or not, Notre Dame has positioned itself very well with Power, a four-star prospect.
I know things between Kansas and Ugonna Kingsley Onyenso, the 7-foot-0, 200 center from Putnam (CT) Science Academy looked serious at one time, but it sounds like the No. 35 ranked player in the 2023 class is going to Kentucky.
I’m sure this is going to upset some of you, but I don’t expect anything to happen between Kansas and Kaden Cooper, the 6-foot-6, 180-pound small forward from The Skill Factory Prep in Atlanta, Ga. Originally from Ada, Okla., it sounds like Gonzaga is the team to beat for Cooper, the No. 36 ranked player in the class. Now, can things change? Absolutely. Nothing is done until signing day. However, I was just told that once Gonzaga offered, it was going to be tough for Cooper to look elsewhere. I remember a conversation that I had with Cooper a couple of months ago, and he made it clear that, at the time, the only visit he was sure about was Gonzaga.
I tried my best to get a few minutes with LeBron James, Jr., the 6-foot-2, 170-pound shooting guard from Sierra Canyon High School in Chatsworth, Calif., during the Nike EYBL event in Kansas City a couple of weeks ago, but he was hands-off. Honestly, I’ve got no idea what James, Jr., the No. 58 ranked player in the 2023 class is thinking or feeling when it comes to his recruitment. He’s never talked to a member of the media – at least that I’m aware of.
At one point or another, guys like Dennis Parker, the 6-foot-6, 180-pound small forward from John Marshall High School in Richmond, Va., Assane Diop, the 6-foot-10, 215-pound power forward from Belleview Christian School in Westminster, Colo., Cameron Barnes, the 6-foot-10, 200-pound center from Duncanville (TX) High School, Jazz Gardner, the 7-foot-0, 225-pound center from West Ranch High School in Santa Clarita, Calif., Corey Chest, Jr., the 6-foot-8, 180-pound power forward from McMain High School in New Orleans, La., Trey Green, the 5-foot-11, 170-pound point guard from Link Year in Branson, Mo., Justin McBride, the 6-foot-8, 200-pound power forward from Plano (TX) High School, Tyler Bey, the 6-foot-8, 180-pound small forward from Fairfax High School in Los Angeles, Calif., Elmarko Jackson, the 6-foot-3, 180-pound point guard from South Kent (CT) High School, Brady Dunlap, the 6-foot-7, 200-pound shooting guard from Harvard Westlake High School in Los Angeles, Calif., and Dalen Davis, the 5-foot-11, 165-pound point guard from Whitney Young High School in Chicago, Ill., have either mentioned Kansas has offered, Kansas is interested, or Kansas has just started showing interest.
For instance, Justin McBride, while at Oak Hill Academy in Mouth of Wilson, Va., had mentioned that Kansas had extended a scholarship offer. However, ultimately made the move to Plano (TX) High School, and in his most recent update, there was no mention of Kansas.
I’ve reached out to Corey Chest, Jr., who was recently offered my Kansas within the last couple of months. Brady Dunlap, a three-star shooting guard, was offered by Kansas more than a year ago, but during my conversation with him at Nike EYBL, he mentioned that if Kansas invited him out for a visit, that’s something he would do.
Truthfully, I’m interested to see what happens with Brady Dunlap. Currently, he’s got offers from the likes of Kansas, Arkansas, Loyola Marymount, Minnesota, Pepperdine, Rice, San Diego State, USC, Washington, Wyoming, and Xavier. Additionally, Indiana, Wisconsin, and others have shown serious interest in the talented shooting guard.
I’m guessing, because it’s the case every year, some new names will begin to emerge from the 2023 class in the coming weeks and months. However, at this time, I think it's safe to say that Dennis Evans, Mikey Williams, Chris Johnson, T.J. Power, and Taison Chatman are the names that I would really pay attention to at this time. Obviously, these aren’t the only guys in the 2023 class that Kansas has expressed interest in, but Williams, Johnson, and Chatman have visited, Evans has scheduled a visit, and Power is seriously considering a visit to Kansas.
