Hey all,
Last week, Chris Johnson, the 6-foot-6, 192-pound shooting guard from Montverde (FL) Academy became the first player from the 2023 class to verbally commit to Kansas. It was during his official visit to Kansas, according to Johnson, when he knew that Kansas was the place for him following his time at Montverde (FL) Academy. When I spoke to Johnson, the No. 55 ranked player in the class, after his commitment last week, I got the impression that Bill Self and his staff don't intend to sign a high school class that is big in numbers. Now, and I can't stress this enough, I could be totally wrong about this and I could be reading the tea leaves wrong.
At this point, I think we can all agree that Jalen Wilson, Cam Martin, and Kevin McCullar will move on from Kansas following next season. I'm also going to assume that a few unexpected exits will also take place. Whether that be due to a player leaving early for the NBA or, for whatever reason, a player deciding to find a new school to call home at the end of the season.
Right now, KU’s 2022-23 roster looks like Bobby Pettiford, Jr. (G; Sophomore), Joseph Yesufu (G; Junior), Dajuan Harris, Jr. (G; RS-Junior), Gradey Dick (G; Freshman), Kyle Cuffe, Jr. (G; RS-Freshman), Jalen Wilson (F; RS-Junior), MJ Rice (G; Freshman), Wilder Evers (G; Freshman; Walk-on), Charlie McCarthy (G; Freshman; Walk-on), Kevin McCullar (G; RS-Senior), Michael Jankovich (G; Senior; Walk-on), Zach Clemence (F; Sophomore), Dillon Wilhite (F; Sophomore; Walk-on), Ernest Udeh, Jr. (C; Freshman), KJ Adams, Jr. (F; Sophomore), Cam Martin (F; Super-Senior), and Zuby Ejiofor (F; Freshman).
I’m going to assume that Kansas will have between 3-5 stops to fill next season, but don’t be at all surprised if that number increases. Again, the one thing that Chris Johnson mentioned when we talked last week is how young this Kansas team is and how some guys have the opportunity to return for several years. Now, I don’t expect guys like Dick, Rice, Clemence, and Udeh, Jr., to be around all four years, but that’s a conversation for another day.
As I’ve said several times, when it comes to prospects in the 2023 class, I think Dennis Evans, the 7-foot-1, 210-pound center from Hillcrest High School in Riverside, Calif., and Mikey Williams, the 6-foot-1, 175-pound point guard from San Ysidro High School in San Diego, Calif., are at the top of the priority list. Williams, the No. 19 ranked player in the 2023 class, has already officially visited and Evans, the No. 11 ranked player in the 2023 class, is scheduled to officially visit during the weekend of Late Night in the Phog.
Early on, I really thought that Kansas would be a major player for Kaden Cooper, the 6-foot-6, 180-pound small forward from The Skill Factory Prep in Atlanta, Ga., but I keep hearing that Gonzaga is in great, great shape with the No. 36 ranked player in the 2023 class. With that being said, I also thought that Notre Dame would be a major player for TJ Power, but the Irish were eliminated, along with Kansas, earlier in the week.
With Chris Johnson on board, I’m not really sure where things stand with Taison Chatman, the 6-foot-3, 175-pound shooting guard from Totino Grace High School in Fridley, Minn. With Johnson on board and Mikey Williams at the top of the priority list, I just don’t see KU taking all three.
Jazz Gardner, the 7-foot-0, 225-pound center from West Ranch High School in Santa Clarita, Calif., released his top 8 schools last week and Kansas made the cut, but according to the four-star big man, his only scheduled visit is to Texas Tech on September 10.
Other guys, Corey Chest, the 6-foot-8, 180-pound power forward from McMain High School in New Orleans, La., Justin McBride, the 6-foot-8, 200-pound power forward from Plano (TX) High School, Elmarko Jackson, the 6-foot-3, 180-pound point guard from South Kent (CT) High School, Brady Dunlap, the 6-foot-7, 205-pound shooting guard from Harvard Westlake High School in Los Angeles, Calif., and Elijah Gertrude, the 6-foot-4, 180-pound shooting guard from Hudson Catholic Jersey City, N.J., have all mentioned Kansas at one point or another, but no visits, at least that I’m aware of, have been scheduled.
From what I’ve been told, I would expect Bill Self and his staff to nab some guys from the portal when that time comes. The great thing about the portal, as most of you know, is you can add talent, experience, and guys that are ready to step in and play right away.
Kansas struck gold with Remy Martin. While he didn’t have the type of season that most expected, there’s absolutely no doubt in my mind that Kansas doesn’t win the National Championship with Remy Martin. When Kansas needed Martin the most, Martin delivered.
Love it or hate it, the portal has a chance to be a huge tool for Kansas moving forward.
I really don’t know what to expect, fully, when it comes to the 2023 recruiting class. I think it's fair to say, now that Chris Johnson is on board, that Dennis Evans and Mikey Williams, sit atop the priority. I’ve reached out to Kaden Cooper to see if he’s scheduled any additional visits and have made some other calls to see what, if anything, is shaking right now.
Last week, Chris Johnson, the 6-foot-6, 192-pound shooting guard from Montverde (FL) Academy became the first player from the 2023 class to verbally commit to Kansas. It was during his official visit to Kansas, according to Johnson, when he knew that Kansas was the place for him following his time at Montverde (FL) Academy. When I spoke to Johnson, the No. 55 ranked player in the class, after his commitment last week, I got the impression that Bill Self and his staff don't intend to sign a high school class that is big in numbers. Now, and I can't stress this enough, I could be totally wrong about this and I could be reading the tea leaves wrong.
At this point, I think we can all agree that Jalen Wilson, Cam Martin, and Kevin McCullar will move on from Kansas following next season. I'm also going to assume that a few unexpected exits will also take place. Whether that be due to a player leaving early for the NBA or, for whatever reason, a player deciding to find a new school to call home at the end of the season.
Right now, KU’s 2022-23 roster looks like Bobby Pettiford, Jr. (G; Sophomore), Joseph Yesufu (G; Junior), Dajuan Harris, Jr. (G; RS-Junior), Gradey Dick (G; Freshman), Kyle Cuffe, Jr. (G; RS-Freshman), Jalen Wilson (F; RS-Junior), MJ Rice (G; Freshman), Wilder Evers (G; Freshman; Walk-on), Charlie McCarthy (G; Freshman; Walk-on), Kevin McCullar (G; RS-Senior), Michael Jankovich (G; Senior; Walk-on), Zach Clemence (F; Sophomore), Dillon Wilhite (F; Sophomore; Walk-on), Ernest Udeh, Jr. (C; Freshman), KJ Adams, Jr. (F; Sophomore), Cam Martin (F; Super-Senior), and Zuby Ejiofor (F; Freshman).
I’m going to assume that Kansas will have between 3-5 stops to fill next season, but don’t be at all surprised if that number increases. Again, the one thing that Chris Johnson mentioned when we talked last week is how young this Kansas team is and how some guys have the opportunity to return for several years. Now, I don’t expect guys like Dick, Rice, Clemence, and Udeh, Jr., to be around all four years, but that’s a conversation for another day.
As I’ve said several times, when it comes to prospects in the 2023 class, I think Dennis Evans, the 7-foot-1, 210-pound center from Hillcrest High School in Riverside, Calif., and Mikey Williams, the 6-foot-1, 175-pound point guard from San Ysidro High School in San Diego, Calif., are at the top of the priority list. Williams, the No. 19 ranked player in the 2023 class, has already officially visited and Evans, the No. 11 ranked player in the 2023 class, is scheduled to officially visit during the weekend of Late Night in the Phog.
Early on, I really thought that Kansas would be a major player for Kaden Cooper, the 6-foot-6, 180-pound small forward from The Skill Factory Prep in Atlanta, Ga., but I keep hearing that Gonzaga is in great, great shape with the No. 36 ranked player in the 2023 class. With that being said, I also thought that Notre Dame would be a major player for TJ Power, but the Irish were eliminated, along with Kansas, earlier in the week.
With Chris Johnson on board, I’m not really sure where things stand with Taison Chatman, the 6-foot-3, 175-pound shooting guard from Totino Grace High School in Fridley, Minn. With Johnson on board and Mikey Williams at the top of the priority list, I just don’t see KU taking all three.
Jazz Gardner, the 7-foot-0, 225-pound center from West Ranch High School in Santa Clarita, Calif., released his top 8 schools last week and Kansas made the cut, but according to the four-star big man, his only scheduled visit is to Texas Tech on September 10.
Other guys, Corey Chest, the 6-foot-8, 180-pound power forward from McMain High School in New Orleans, La., Justin McBride, the 6-foot-8, 200-pound power forward from Plano (TX) High School, Elmarko Jackson, the 6-foot-3, 180-pound point guard from South Kent (CT) High School, Brady Dunlap, the 6-foot-7, 205-pound shooting guard from Harvard Westlake High School in Los Angeles, Calif., and Elijah Gertrude, the 6-foot-4, 180-pound shooting guard from Hudson Catholic Jersey City, N.J., have all mentioned Kansas at one point or another, but no visits, at least that I’m aware of, have been scheduled.
From what I’ve been told, I would expect Bill Self and his staff to nab some guys from the portal when that time comes. The great thing about the portal, as most of you know, is you can add talent, experience, and guys that are ready to step in and play right away.
Kansas struck gold with Remy Martin. While he didn’t have the type of season that most expected, there’s absolutely no doubt in my mind that Kansas doesn’t win the National Championship with Remy Martin. When Kansas needed Martin the most, Martin delivered.
Love it or hate it, the portal has a chance to be a huge tool for Kansas moving forward.
I really don’t know what to expect, fully, when it comes to the 2023 recruiting class. I think it's fair to say, now that Chris Johnson is on board, that Dennis Evans and Mikey Williams, sit atop the priority. I’ve reached out to Kaden Cooper to see if he’s scheduled any additional visits and have made some other calls to see what, if anything, is shaking right now.
