He’s a top athlete in track a national record holder in the discus throw as a matter of fact.
He’s also a fireballing baseball pitcher with a fastball clocked at 93 mph.
What’s more, Stroud, Okla., high schooler Kevin Bookout also plays basketball and is regarded as a can’t-miss collegiate power forward prospect.
Bookout all 6-foot-8, 250 pounds of him will be on Kansas University’s campus this weekend on a combined official basketball/track recruiting visit.
Bookout joins Iowa Western Community College forward Jeff Graves and El Cajon, Calif., high school forward/center Moulaye Niang as visitors for Friday’s Late Night With Roy Williams.
“It’s been interesting,” Bookout’s mother, Pam, said of her son being sought by coaches in three sports. “Kevin is not planning on doing baseball in college. He is definitely planning on participating in both basketball and track in college.”
That is, if Bookout is not swayed by a possible multi-million dollar baseball offer right out of high school.
“Most of the professional peole know it’s not his first love,” Pam Bookout said of baseball. “But if someone makes a great offer, he’d have to look at that.”
Bookout, who happens to be a perfect 4.0 student, threw the discus 215 feet last season to break the previous national record by two feet. He owns the Oklahoma discus record and the all-time shot put mark (71-1) as well.
“The coach for the Olympics, L.J. Sylvester, recruits athletes for the Olympics,” Pam Bookout said. “He came and visited with Kevin in March. The throwing coach at Kansas (Doug Reynolds) is a coach he (Sylvester) speaks highly of. That is one reason Kevin is interested in Kansas. Of course he already knows about Kansas’ basketball program.
“They were impressive when they visited,” Bookout’s mom added, referring to KU’s basketball coaches. “The tutoring available for players at Kansas is really impressive.”
Bookout has made official visits to Oklahoma and Oklahoma State. He also likely will visit Arkansas. He canceled a visit to Tennessee in the wake of the terrorist activity of Sept. 11.
He’s also had scholarship offers from Stanford, UCLA, Tulsa, Illinois and Notre Dame.
Oklahoma is the strong favorite to land Bookout, who averaged 23 points and 13 rebounds last season for 23-4 Stroud, which won the district championship.
His brother, Kyle, was recruited by KU in football and track, but attended OU on track scholarship. He has one year of eligibility remaining at Oklahoma.
Another brother, Casey, is the all-time home run leader for OU baseball and works in the computer department for athletics in Norman.
What’s more, Bookout’s AAU coach Terry Evans recently was hired in the Sooner basketball office and Bookout’s AAU teammate, DeAngelo Alexander, has already committed to Oklahoma.
“You could say that. They probably are,” Pam said, asked if the Sooners were the leaders for Bookout. “Kevin wants to explore what else is out there, especially because of the track programs (of other schools).”
The Sooners have a new throws coach this year and Bookout’s relationship with that coach in recruiting could also prove an important factor.
“God has given him a talent in track and field,” Bookout’s dad, Dennis, told USA Track and Field. “He’s got things that you just can’t coach.”
Of Bookout, Oklahoma analyst Greg Swaim says: “He’s the best kid I ever met.”
Bookout would like to sign in the early signing period which runs Nov. 14-21.
