“He was an intimidating factor on the high school level,” Turner High coach Mark Bishop said of Nash, who on Monday accepted a basketball scholarship offer to Kansas, choosing the Jayhawks over runnerup Memphis.

“He averaged four blocks a game. He really helped us on the defensive end. He has tremendously long arms.”

And quick feet.

Nash’s athleticism — he’s also an accomplished track triple jumper — is what attracted the attention of coaches from KU, Memphis, Southern Methodist, North Texas, Texas A&M, Arkansas-Little Rock, Texas Christian and Florida.

“He does not yet have the bulk or strength,” Bishop said. “That’s what he’ll need to work on along with dribbling and some other things.”

Nash, who averaged 15 points and 10 boards a game his senior year for 25-8 Turner High, did not play high-profile summer basketball or attend the Nike or adidas camps.

“That’s probably why you didn’t see the heavy recruitment,” Bishop said, noting Nash did play summer ball for a Texas all-star team that played mostly in Texas, and some in Los Angeles and Las Vegas.

“He was recruited on different levels all year long. There were varying degrees of interest. The big hitters came in at the end,” Bishop explained.

SMU recruited Nash the longest and hardest. North Texas and Little Rock also maintained contact all season. TCU had the opportunity to watch Nash up close at a tourney played at the Horned Frogs’ gym.

KU’s assistant coaches scouted a pair of regular-season games, while coach Roy Williams viewed tape of the prep player.

The Jayhawks’ interest became hot and heavy about a month ago, when Williams attended a practice game involving Nash. Memphis also discovered Nash about a month ago, and new Tigers’ coach John Calipari made three visits to see the player.

It became a two-school race, with Nash picking the Jayhawks after visiting both schools on consecutive weekends.

“Yes and no,” Bishop said about feeling sorry for SMU not landing a player who it recruited all year. “SMU is a good school and program, but the basketball program is not yet at the level of a Kansas or Duke. How can you fault a kid for going to one of the best programs in the country?

“If it doesn’t work out, he could always transfer somewhere later. If it does work out … think of the great opportunities playing for Roy Williams at Kansas.”

Nash said he didn’t know if he’d red-shirt his rookie season. His athleticism could find him a spot on the court right away.

“The (Turner) coaches tried to recruit him to play football his senior year,” Bishop said. “They saw what an athlete he’s become. In the past, he was so thin, it kept him away (from football).

“But there was a thought of making him a receiver and throwing it up high for him. His intelligence told him not to risk broken kneecaps.”

On a personal note, Nash is a good student who has qualified academically.

“His teachers like him a lot,” Bishop said. “He’s really interested in art, drawings and things like that. He will put in the time needed in the classroom. He will give the effort, just like he did here.”