California has proven to be a fertile recruiting ground during Roy Williams’ 13 years at Kansas.
Texas, however, is coming on strong as KU hoops country.
Keith Langford, a 6-foot-4 1/2, 195-pound senior guard from North Crowley High School in Crowley, Texas, will be on campus today through early Sunday on an official campus recruiting visit. Langford visited Cincinnati last week and has also made an official visit to Oklahoma.
Crowley is a suburb of Fort Worth. Texans already on KU’s roster include senior Luke Axtell of Austin, plus freshmen Bryant Nash (6-6, Carollton) and Mario Kinsey (6-2, Waco).
Langford, who orally committed to the University of Mississippi last May, says KU is his leader right now.
“If it’s everything I expect it to be and I think it will be, I’ll most likely end up there,” Langford said Thursday. “My mom likes it, my family all likes it and that’s very important to me.”
Langford averaged 19 points, nine rebounds, three assists and three steals a game last year. The sweet-shooting left-hander hit 46 percent of his three-point tries.
Langford’s mom, Charlene Taylor, said her son has a 3.3 grade point average and has qualified for a scholarship. Both his mother and father played basketball at UT-Arlington. Langford’s brother, Kevin, is a 6-foot-7 high school freshman.
Crowley and several relatives will attend Saturday’s KU-Emporia State exhibition game set for 8:05 p.m. at Allen Fieldhouse.
The early week-long signing period starts next Wednesday. KU has received commitments from Wayne Simien, 6-8 of Leavenworth, and Michael Lee, 6-2 of Portland, Ore. KU is waiting on word from Aaron Miles, 6-0 of Portland, who is a teammate of Lee. Miles is down to KU and Arizona.
The Jayhawks also are recruiting Jeff Hawkins, 5-11 from KC Sumner High and Jamar Howard, 6-5 of Shawnee Miege.
A new name has surfaced as a possible KU recruit.
Uche Okafor, a 7-foot center from Lagos, Nigeria, who is enrolled at the College of Southern Idaho Junior College, is reportedly being recruited by KU, North Carolina State, Utah, UConn, Missouri, Auburn, Missouri and Florida State, according to atlanticeasthoops.com.
Mario Kinsey had several staples removed from his lower right leg on Thursday. Kinsey has made a rapid recovery since undergoing surgery for anterior compartment syndrome in mid-October. He hit a 3-pointer in Wednesday’svictory over the California All-Stars.