Less than a week after missing out on Malik Hairston, Kansas University’s men’s basketball team has received a committment from New Jersey prep star Alex Galindo.
The Jayhawks also received a verbal committment from Micah Downs, who made his decision after visiting KU’s campus last weekend.
A 6-foot-7, 203-pound small forward from St. Benedict’s Prep in Newark, N.J., Galindo chose KU over Rutgers, Pittsburgh and Georgetown. He averaged 18 points a game last year.
“The main reason I picked Kansas is because it’s a great opportunity for me to be a Jayhawk,” Galindo told the Journal-World. “People down there in Lawrence love basketball and that impressed me a lot. It’s a feeling that can’t be described. I have a chance to play in Allen Fieldhouse.”
Galindo, who said he told KU coach Bill Self his decision Sunday, plans to attend the summer session of classes at KU. He is rated the No. 65-overall prospect in the 2004 class by rivals.com, and the 15th-best small forward.
“Alex is a great wing player who will allow us to be more versatile next year,” Self said. “He’s big enough to play with a small lineup, but he’s certainly a true perimeter player. He is an excellent shooter with range, and he also has great feel for the game. Fortunately for us, a coaching change occurred at UTEP, causing Alex to be released from his national letter-of-intent. Luckily, we were then able to convince him that Kansas should be his ultimate collegiate destination.
“Alex has had great teaching and coaching at St. Benedict’s – coach Dan Hurley has done a tremendous job with all his players, but especially taking a young man from Puerto Rico under his wing and developing his skill level to the point where it is now, he should really be commended.”
Galindo will have to appeal to the Collegiate Commissioners Assn. to gain his eligibility next season. Galindo signed with with UTEP in November, but received a full release from the school after coach Bill Gillispie left for Texas A&M.
Galindo’s release means he loses just one, not two years of eligibility. Based on its history, the CCA is expected to grant Galindo’s appeal, which would make him able to play for KU this fall.
Downs, a 6-8 junior shooting guard from Bothell (Wash.) High School, said his father’s favorite school quickly became his favorite too, after taking his official recruiting trip over the weekend.
“It’s awesome,” Downs told the Journal-World on Monday.
“The tradition is unbelievable. With James Naismith inventing the game, and guys like Wilt Chamberlain playing there, it’s going to be awesome to be a part of it.”
Downs, who told KU coach Bill Self Sunday he would be picking Kansas over the likes of Duke and Gonzaga, said sleeping on his decision overnight was kind of tough.
“It was kind of hard to hold in last night,” he said. “But we wanted to wait until everything was set up with coach and all, before we made it official.”
For more on Galindo and Downs, see Tuesday’s Journal-World and KUsports.com.
