-- First of all, as I posted here yesterday, Hunter Dickinson, the No. 1 player in the transfer portal, is absolutely visiting Kansas next week. It will be a Thursday-Saturday visit and Bill Self and his staff will be given the opportunity to roll out the red carpet for Dickinson, who averaged 18.5 points and 9.0 rebounds this past season. So, I spent the majority of last night talking to a few people that covered Dickinson at Michigan or people that know him, and I can tell you that Kansas, without question, is a very legitimate option for the 7-foot-1, 260-pound big man from Hyattsville, Md. Obviously, and this shouldn't come as a surprise, NIL is going to be a huge deal for Dickinson no matter where he goes, especially at a school like Kansas. My guess is he's going to command a big package deal and he's going to want whatever he feels he deserves.
Also, and this is also important, I've been told that he wants to play for a winning program that has an opportunity to compete for championships. He will have every opportunity to do so at Kansas, especially while playing for the best coach in college basketball. Bill Self absolutely wants to land Hunter Dickinson, and he's made that clear to the elite big man. I've also been told that he's got two years remaining and he could very well use the remainder of those two years and not make the move to the NBA a year from now.
Hunter Dickinson is an absolute game-changer and the coaching staff knows that, and there's no doubt about that. Self and his staff will do everything they can to close this deal late next week. However, and I've said this many times, Michigan will be given the last opportunity to bring him back before he makes a final decision.
-- Until all the paperwork is signed and everything is official, there is no such thing as a guarantee, but things between Kansas and Harrison Ingram, the 6-foot-7, 230-pound small forward from Dallas, Texas are looking good right now. Following a two-year run at Stanford, Ingram, the No. 16 ranked player in the 2021 class, ultimately made the decision to hit the transfer portal. He's scheduled to take a visit to Kansas early next week and, at this time, I think it's safe to say that Kansas stands in a very favorable position.
A big thing that Kansas has going right now is the entire coaching staff is extremely familiar with Ingram and his family, and vice versa. Kansas spent a ton of time recruiting Ingram in high school and Self and his staff knows exactly what he's capable of on the hardwood. I actually think this would be a good fit for Ingram, as he'd be surrounded by a ton of talent and wouldn't necessarily be forced to be "the man" at Kansas. He would have a ton of freedom on both ends of the court and I think you would potentially see a much different player.
-- Not a lot to report on Nicolas Timberlake at this time. Following visits to North Carolina and Kansas, the 6-foot-4, 205-pound shooting guard from Plainfield, N.H., is scheduled to visit UCONN this weekend. Following an impressive run at Towson, Timberlake hit the transfer portal and immediately became one of the most heavily targeted prospects. I know that he really had a great visit to Kansas, but from what I've been told, he's going to continue on with his scheduled visit to UCONN. Everything I've been told leads me to believe this is a Kansas/North Carolina/UCONN battle.
Now, where does Kansas turn if Timberlake ultimately decides to look elsewhere? Right now, I simply don't have the answer to that question.
-- I said this a week or so ago and I'll say it again. From what I was told at the time, a visit date for Primo Spears was never officially locked in when he announced a couple of visit dates. At the time, he indicated that he was going to visit Kansas on the 18, but he's taking an official visit to TCU at that time, which was announced yesterday or Wednesday. If I hear anything different, I'll let you all know.
-- Jesse Edwards, the 6-foot-11, 230-pound center from Syracuse is down to Kansas, West Virginia, and Gonzaga. From everything I've been told, WVU is the team to beat heading into his visit this weekend. If that changes, Kansas has a legitimate chance, but only assuming Hunter Dickinson looks elsewhere.
Also, and this is also important, I've been told that he wants to play for a winning program that has an opportunity to compete for championships. He will have every opportunity to do so at Kansas, especially while playing for the best coach in college basketball. Bill Self absolutely wants to land Hunter Dickinson, and he's made that clear to the elite big man. I've also been told that he's got two years remaining and he could very well use the remainder of those two years and not make the move to the NBA a year from now.
Hunter Dickinson is an absolute game-changer and the coaching staff knows that, and there's no doubt about that. Self and his staff will do everything they can to close this deal late next week. However, and I've said this many times, Michigan will be given the last opportunity to bring him back before he makes a final decision.
-- Until all the paperwork is signed and everything is official, there is no such thing as a guarantee, but things between Kansas and Harrison Ingram, the 6-foot-7, 230-pound small forward from Dallas, Texas are looking good right now. Following a two-year run at Stanford, Ingram, the No. 16 ranked player in the 2021 class, ultimately made the decision to hit the transfer portal. He's scheduled to take a visit to Kansas early next week and, at this time, I think it's safe to say that Kansas stands in a very favorable position.
A big thing that Kansas has going right now is the entire coaching staff is extremely familiar with Ingram and his family, and vice versa. Kansas spent a ton of time recruiting Ingram in high school and Self and his staff knows exactly what he's capable of on the hardwood. I actually think this would be a good fit for Ingram, as he'd be surrounded by a ton of talent and wouldn't necessarily be forced to be "the man" at Kansas. He would have a ton of freedom on both ends of the court and I think you would potentially see a much different player.
-- Not a lot to report on Nicolas Timberlake at this time. Following visits to North Carolina and Kansas, the 6-foot-4, 205-pound shooting guard from Plainfield, N.H., is scheduled to visit UCONN this weekend. Following an impressive run at Towson, Timberlake hit the transfer portal and immediately became one of the most heavily targeted prospects. I know that he really had a great visit to Kansas, but from what I've been told, he's going to continue on with his scheduled visit to UCONN. Everything I've been told leads me to believe this is a Kansas/North Carolina/UCONN battle.
Now, where does Kansas turn if Timberlake ultimately decides to look elsewhere? Right now, I simply don't have the answer to that question.
-- I said this a week or so ago and I'll say it again. From what I was told at the time, a visit date for Primo Spears was never officially locked in when he announced a couple of visit dates. At the time, he indicated that he was going to visit Kansas on the 18, but he's taking an official visit to TCU at that time, which was announced yesterday or Wednesday. If I hear anything different, I'll let you all know.
-- Jesse Edwards, the 6-foot-11, 230-pound center from Syracuse is down to Kansas, West Virginia, and Gonzaga. From everything I've been told, WVU is the team to beat heading into his visit this weekend. If that changes, Kansas has a legitimate chance, but only assuming Hunter Dickinson looks elsewhere.
