Moving forward: Kansas recruit Carlton Bragg hustles to all-star game

By Mike Helfgot/Special To The Journal-World     Mar 31, 2015

Cleveland prep forward Carlton Bragg — who has committed to Kansas University — poses for a photo prior to Wednesday’s McDonald’s All-American Game in Chicago.

? If ever there was a time to set all cares aside, this was it.

This was the state championship.

It was the second in three years for Cleveland’s Villa Angela-St. Joseph High, and it was the culmination of a remarkable prep career in which Carlton Bragg turned himself into one of the best high school players in America.

So when the buzzer sounded and the celebration commenced, Bragg’s first thought was to check the time: 3:09 p.m.

“My flight was at 5,” Bragg said. “I was rushing.”

Less than two hours after leading his team to the Ohio Division III title, Bragg was on a plane bound for Chicago, the host city of Wednesday night’s McDonald’s All-American Games.

Practices began Sunday afternoon, and unlike the all-star game itself, they are serious competitions witnessed by representatives of every NBA team.

Bragg places

Florida State signee Dwayne Bacon, a 6-foot-6 senior small forward from Oak Hill Academy in Mouth of Wilson, Virginia, won the McDonald’s All-America Game slam dunk contest Monday in Chicago. Future KU forward Carlton Bragg, 6-9 from Cleveland Villa Angela-St. Joseph High, placed third. Undecided Stephen Zimmerman, 7-foot from Bishop Gorman in Las Vegas, who is considering KU and others, earned second.

Duke signee Luke Kennard, 6-5 from Franklin (Ohio) High, won the three-point contest, edging Villanova signee Jalen Brunson, 6-1 from Stevenson High in Lincolnshire, Illinois.

Brunson won the skills competition, placing ahead of runner-up Bragg.

Rest would have to wait.

“This is what you’re training for,” Bragg said. “You train every day for things like this. I felt good out there. My legs were kind of dead, but I’ll be fine.”

Currently the only recruit in coach Bill Self’s incoming class, the 6-foot-9 Bragg authored one of the most memorable commitments in recent years.

While putting on a Kansas hat, Bragg announced he was going to Kentucky.

This was no Cliff Alexander-style head fake, though. Bragg simply said the wrong school.

“It was a big day for me,” he said. “I was kind of nervous. I got the KU and the UK mixed up. A lot of people joke around about it. It was an honest mistake. It was out of excitement. I was kind of nervous. It was a big decision.”

The Jayhawks’ style of play and Self’s history of success with power forwards were among the biggest reasons Bragg chose KU over UK, and he appears to be a worthy successor to the Morris twins, Thomas Robinson, Perry Ellis, et al.

A high-flier, he has touch and range on his shot and the strength and will to compete in the post. He averaged 21.3 points, eight rebounds and two blocked shots in earning Ohio Division III Player of the Year honors.

Bragg was the most physically impressive big man at Monday’s practice on a West team that lists seven players between 6-8 and 7-0.

“It’s the best fit for me,” Bragg said. “They play up and down and use the pick and roll and the pick and pop. That fits me well.”

The size of Bragg’s role could depend on whether Ellis and Alexander depart for the NBA and perhaps even how effective of a recruiter he proves to be.

He has been working on Jayhawk targets Jaylen Brown, a 6-7 small forward, 6-9 Cheick Diallo and 6-8 Brandon Ingram.

“I tell them we can dominate,” Bragg said, and “hopefully win the NCAA championship.”

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