AY2015-16 KUMBB Recruiting UPDATED 2016-07-18

REQUEST TO RCBers
In an effort to keep recruiting information and Q&As easily accessible, please consider posting your recruiting comments and questions for this recruiting season (2015-16) in this pinned thread.

Also, if you know of an error or omission, please let me know so I can correct it.

Thank you, RCBers!

ROCK CHALK!
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TRACKING AY2015-16 PLAYERS and AY2016-17 RECRUITS Committed/Signed and Offered

ACADEMIC YEAR 2015-16 SIGNING PERIODS FOR MEN'S BASKETBALL --
Early Signing Period window: 2015-11-11 thru 18
Regular Signing Period window: 2016-04-13 thru 05-18

DEPARTING PLAYERS AFTER AY2015-16 ((S) Scholarship, (W) Walk-on)
GRADUATING SENIORS
F Perry Ellis (S)
G Evan Manning (W)
F Hunter Mickelson (S)
F Jamari Traylor (S)

NBA EARLY ENTRANTS
F Cheick Diallo (S)
G Wayne Selden (S)
F Brannen Greene (S)
F Carlton Bragg? Nope.
G Svi Mykhailiuk? Staying.

MAY 25, 2016 - deadline to withdraw from draft and retain eligibility assuming no agent is hired.

TRANSFERING OUT
None projected.

RETURNING PLAYERS and AY2016-17 STATUS (by Class; (S)cholarship or (W)alk-on)
SENIORS
F Landen Lucas* (S)
G Frank Mason III (S)
G Tyler Self* (W)

JUNIORS
F Dwight Coleby* (S) summer 2015 transfer from Ole Miss, had to sit out AY2015-16; tore left ACL 2015-09-25**
G Devonté Graham (S)
G Sviatoslav Mykhailiuk (S)
F Clay Young* (W) summer 2015 transfer from Kansas City KS CC***

SOPHOMORES
G Lagerald Vick (S)
F Carlton Bragg (S)

*Red-shirted one year.
** www2.kusports.com/news/2015/sep/30/trans...ht-coleby-tears-acl/
*** Medical RS AY2014-15

SCHOLARSHIPS AVAILABLE
13 total scholarships allowed each AY
- 7 returning scholarship players
= 6 scholarships to fill for AY2015-16
.. 1 Scholarship still available @2016-07-01

ACADEMIC YEAR 2015-16 RECRUITING SYNOPSIS
Sources: Rivals, 247Sports, ESPN, Scout and others; National Rank & Ratings used are Rivals.NEW NCAA RULES REGARDING NBA EARLY ENTRANTS
Effective with the 2016 NBA Draft, underclassmen may participate in the NBA draft combine and then have 10 days after to decide if they wish to remain in the draft without losing their NCAA eligibility.

Furthermore, underclassmen may enter the NBA draft more than once without foregoing their eligibility, and they may participate in the combine and "one tryout per NBA team per year".

Previously, the deadline to withdraw from the draft was the day before the start of the April signing period, which was nearly a month before the draft combine. For example, in 2015, the NCAA’s early entry withdrawal date was April 14 and the combine was held May 13-17.

The NBA Combine is by NBA invitation only, so that will be the first real indication to potential early entrants of whether or not NBA teams are seriously considering them.

Source: NCAA.org article linked here -> www.ncaa.org/about/resources/media-cente...move-names-nba-draft

All but one of the first 9 paragraphs amount to the NCAA breaking its arms patting itself on the back for finally doing what it should have been doing all along -- putting the student-athlete first.

Other than paragraph 3, which tells the reader the change is effective starting with this year's NBA draft, the rest of the good stuff starts with paragraph 10. It's worth a read, Jayhawks fans.

...per ESPN recruiting analyst Paul Biancardi:

espn.go.com/video/clip?id=14802694

With Perry exiting (and with that, all of that scoring), it would be great to add one final, exceptional piece to the mix for next year.

____________________________

We now return to our regularly scheduled programming, which is this year's surging KANSAS JAYHAWKS!

Remember Thon Maker from last year? He's been offered again, and the 7-0 footer is apparently very HIGH on KU. He is not ranked by Rivals for this year, but he is still a 5 or 4 star, depending on the service you prefer to believe.
n.rivals.com/content/prospects/maple/139172
247sports.com/player/thon-maker-20987
espn.go.com/college-sports/basketball/re...id/172416/thon-maker

KU has recently offered Rivals 4 star PF Taurean Thompson. The Brewster Academy prospect (yes, that's right, looks as if we got a pipeline to New Hampshire!) is 6'9" and weighs 220.
n.rivals.com/content/prospects/maple/178722
espn.go.com/college-sports/basketball/re...467/taurean-thompson
247sports.com/player/taurean-thompson-82675

Then there is the intriguing (to me, at least) case of Aussie PG William McDowell-White. Kid is supposed to be a very good to excellent PG prospect, but so far I only see him mentioned with KU on Scout. I can't find him in ESPN's database at all. Scout rates him 5 stars, Rivals and 247Sports rate him at 4 stars.
www.scout.com/player/202179-william-mcdowell-white?s=172
247sports.com/Player/William-McDowell-White-88917
n.rivals.com/content/prospects/maple/187625

Here are Eric Bossi's predictions today on where 10 of the remaining 11 unsigned prospects in Rivals150 class of 2016 will land. For those who do not know, Bossi is the National Men's Basketball Recruiting Analyst for Rivals. I believe his article requires having a Rivals account to read. Here's the link for those who do, and (just in case I'm wrong) everyone else as well.
Bossi predicts

THE UNSIGNED ELEVEN ON RIVALS 2016 TOP 150 LIST -- AND BOSSI'S PREDICTION

Rivals# -- Name -- Bossi Prediction
1. Josh Jackson -- KU (here's hoping EB is right!)

9. Rawle Alkins -- Arizona

16. Marques Bolden -- Kentucky

20. Jarrett Allen -- Texas

84. Taurean Thompson -- Seton Hall

102. Micah Thomas -- Maryland

107. Eron Gordon -- Somehow Bossi missed Mr. Indiana Basketball 2016 (a 4 star SG) in this exercise. I checked ESPN, Scout and 247Sports, and all indicate Gordon has yet to choose. PrepHoops reported Wednesday (2016-02-24) that he will not decide until after the high school season is over (NB: PrepHoops is also a pay site, so entire article is not available without an account).

110. Alpha Diallo -- South Carolina (cousin of our Cheick)

112. Deshawn Corprew -- mOO

130. Lucas Siewert -- Colorado

141. Bruno Fernando -- Florida State

Good to know, port, and you're welcome!

SENIOR DAY VISIT! Sweet!

Rivals National Analyst Eric Bossi reports this will be his third visit to KU since August 2014.
Bossi emphasizes Maker's guardian is saying he will also make officials to Arizona State, Notre Dame and St. John's.

I read elsewhere that Indiana is also in the mix and may be his 5th and final official.

That's essentially what he wrote later that same day on JayhawkSlant, saying "Total crapshoot, but I was given the edict to make predictions", so he did. He wouldn't be surprised if Michigan son Jackson ended up with Izzo, and another source tells him AZ is still a signifcant player.

kansas.n.rivals.com/news/five-star-ferguson-opens-it-up-1

Baylor and KU are believed to be early favorites (he was at the KU @BU game), but he has yet to announce any preferences.

THE UNSIGNED ELEVEN TWELVE ON RIVALS 2016 TOP 150 LIST as of 2016-03-01

Rivals# -- Name -- Bossi Prediction*
1. Josh Jackson -- KU (here's hoping EB is right!)

9. Rawle Alkins -- Arizona

12. Terrance Ferguson -- committed to Alabama (HC Avery Johnson) in November 2015, just reopened his recruitment.

16. Marques Bolden -- Kentucky

20. Jarrett Allen -- Texas

84. Taurean Thompson -- Seton Hall

102. Micah Thomas -- Maryland

107. Eron Gordon -- Somehow Bossi missed Mr. Indiana Basketball 2016 (a 4 star SG) in this exercise. I checked ESPN, Scout and 247Sports, and all indicate Gordon has yet to choose. PrepHoops reported Wednesday (2016-02-24) that he will not decide until after the high school season is over (NB: PrepHoops is also a pay site, so entire article is not available without an account).

110. Alpha Diallo -- South Carolina (cousin of our Cheick)

112. Deshawn Corprew -- mOO

130. Lucas Siewert -- Colorado

141. Bruno Fernando -- Florida State

* Again, these Bossi predictions are SWAGs .

Also note that Thon Maker is not on this list because he became a "tweener" for class ranking purposes for the "usual suspects" recruiting sites. In fact, I can't find him in Rivals database at present, hence the ESPN link.

Apparently ESPN Insider thinks so.

I don't have access myself these days, but in a story rating top recruiting assistants, the writer put Duke and UK assistants "in a tier by themselves the past couple of years".

At #3 is Townsend, who "might be the most feared assistant on an individual basis. He helped get Jamal Crawford back during his days at Michigan, and has recruited the likes of Andrew Wiggins, Ben McLemore, Sherron Collins, Brandon Rush and Jeff Withey to Kansas."

Makes me wonder where Norm Roberts fits on the list? The site I got the above from didn't have that info. I did get this on Norm from it, however, in a follow-up comment listing Norm's KU recruiting bonafides.

Norm Roberts' Jayhawks
Russell Robinson
Sasha Kaun (I did not recall that Sasha was high on Duke's and Michigan State's respective lists)
Wayne Selden
Joel Embiid
Carlton Bragg
Cheick Diallo
Udoka Azuibuike

That's a darn impressive list, yes?

See the original post. Thanks!

These should be free links.

Josh Jackson
Terrance Ferguson

I don't really get any "warm fuzzies" regarding either of them coming to KU.
It would be nice if at least one of them proves me wrong.

Keegan seems to think Jackson is coming to KU.
Apparently Jackson has already made up his mind.
If KU, Selden leaving cements the decision.
If not, Selden's leaving may cause a rethink.
Keeping my fingers crossed.
www2.kusports.com/news/2016/mar/30/tom-k...ns-jackson-good-fit/

Azubuike talks Kansas and Josh Jackson

Sounds promising, but as always, caveat emptor when it comes to "inside" recruit talk.

As noted elsewhere, I think if we get Jackson, Ferguson goes to Baylor. If JJ doesn't choose KU, I think we get TF.

Here's the latest scuttlebutt on Josh Jackson.

Yesterday evening he "followed" Mitch Lightfoot on twitter.

Lots of chatter from various unnamed sources around the web that JJ is KU bound.

One post I've seen states that a friend with ties to Arizona athletics reports JJ has called Sean Miller to let him know he was picking KU.

Again, it's at least worth every penny paid, and possibly a whole lot more.

Fingers crossed!

Come on down, JJ!

My brother-in-law's estranged cousin has a former teacher who is married to a plumber from Michigan who claims that he heard three kids on a school playground talking to one another...and that one of them whose Mom once sold Josh's Uncle an iPhone claims to have seen Josh wearing a crimson and blue armband on his right arm...and since Josh always puts lucky charms on his right arm instead of his left, he's definitely going to KU!





Not making fun of you in any way, HE. (Just having fun) This is great info, and please keep it coming. I only jest a bit because recruiting season is "silly season" and I've learned to not take any of the "leads" too seriously--or oneself will be disappointed 95 times out of 100.

All that being said, I do believe that KU is a very nice fit for the young man, and Keegan made a good case for that today as well:

www2.kusports.com/news/2016/mar/30/tom-k...ns-jackson-good-fit/

Rock Chalk...

Thanks for the heads-up, JR.

Maybe it's a good sign that I can conjure up some light humor in response to HE's informative post. Perhaps I've moved on from stage 2 to 3 (or is it 3 to 5?) in the grieving process.

No worries, my friend, we are simpatico!! I'm laughin' and smilin' and if I'm lyin' I'm dyin'!