Four future Kansas University men’s basketball players will sign their national letters of intent today and ship the packets to KU’s hoops office.
The players Keith Langford, Michael Lee, Aaron Miles and Wayne Simien make up a pretty decent recruiting class.
“I think somewhat typical, probably a little bit better than average year for us,” KU coach Roy Williams said during Tuesday’s Coaches Vs. Cancer Teleconference.
He was speaking in generalities. He can’t comment on his signees until the letters are in hand.
“It appears we’ve done OK, but we’ve lost several kids we really wanted, too,” Williams said.
Early on, KU lost out on Texas shooting guard Daniel Ewing (Duke). Later, the Jayhawks lost on Minnesota shooting guard Alan Anderson (Michigan State), California shooting guard Josh Childress (Stanford) and California pivot Jamal Sampson (California). It’s believed KU never offered California forward Chuck Hayes, who also visited KU, then picked Kentucky.
The Jayhawks first landed Simien, a 6-foot-8 forward from Leavenworth, last spring.
Simien averaged 16.5 points and 9.7 boards a year ago for the Class 6A state champion Pioneers. He’ll sign his letter at a ceremony at the high school this morning.
KU received a commitment from 6-foot-2, 210-pound Portland, Ore., prep Lee a day after Late Night With Roy Williams at Allen Fieldhouse.
Lee, a standout football tight end, averaged 12 points and five rebounds last year for state champion Jefferson High in Portland.
His best buddy Miles, a 6-1 point guard from Jefferson High committed to KU on Monday. He and Lee will both sign their letters today. Miles averaged 13 points, seven assists, four rebounds and three steals a year ago.
On Monday night, KU received a commitment from Keith Langford, a 6-4 guard/forward from Crowley, Texas. Langford also said he’ll sign today.
Langford averaged 18.3 points, 7.2 rebounds a year ago for 25-5 North Crowley High. The left-handed shooter hit 10 of 25 threes a year ago.
“He’s come a long way with his shooting,” North Crowley coach Tom Brackel said. “I’ve had to run him out of the gym. He’ll practice all night.”
North Crowley High is 47-14 in its two-year existence.
“Lawrence is like an expanded version of Crowley, Texas,” Langford said. “Kansas in my mind has always been one of the elite programs in college basketball. The atmosphere in Allen Fieldhouse is overwhelming.
Langford chose KU over Oklahoma, Cincinnati, Mississippi and Baylor. He actually committed to Ole Miss last May, but reneged a few weeks ago.
Recruiting analyst Mike Sullivan of insidersreport.com on KU’s four signees: “They got a great point guard, a great forward, a swing man in Langford … it’s a pretty solid class. It’s right up there with most of the classes they’ve had at Kansas.
“Sure,” he said, asked if it was a top-10 class.
Recruiting analyst Mark Mayamura of Recruiting USA on Langford: “He is very crafty and penetrating and can shoot it in deep. He knows how to get by his man and create his shot. He may be a left-handed version of Andre Miller (former Utah player).”
Mayamura, who is based on the West Coast, thinks Langford might be a better prospect than Childress.
“He’s a little more physical than Childress is,” Mayamura said. “Langford has the potential to be very, very good. This kid hit 18 of 21 shots in a game this summer and scored 46 points in one game. Those are impressive numbers.”
Kansas has filled four of its five scholarships. The Jayhawks likely will wait until spring to fill the fifth slot.
Miles took the scholarship offer that otherwise would have gone to Jeff Hawkins, 5-11 of KC Sumner. Hawkins has scholarship opportunities at other schools, but there’s a chance he could still wind up at KU.
Jamar Howard, 6-5 of Shawnee Miege, is thinking about waiting until spring to sign.
