AAU tournaments aren’t so much about team competition as individual exposure. Otherwise, the results of one of Sunday’s 8 a.m. games inside Robinson Gymnasium would have sent shock waves throughout the Jayhawk Invitational. A team from Minnesota lacking Division-I prospects bounced one from Oklahoma featuring three high-major prospects in double overtime.
That outcome did nothing to taint the growing reputation of a long-armed, wide-bodied, 6-foot-10 center from Oklahoma City. Daniel Orton, teammate of fellow Class of 2009 Kansas University recruiting target Xavier Henry, impressed during the tournament. The Kansas campus made quite an impression on him as well.
“It’s nice,” Orton said after the loss that sent the team on the road back to Oklahoma. “I really like it. All the buildings look so new, except Allen Fieldhouse, of course.”
Orton watched a game inside the Fieldhouse when it was full and played games there when it was nearly empty.
“Totally different,” said Orton, who watched his half-brother, former Oklahoma State forward Terrence Crawford, play against Kansas. “I’m going to try to come back for some games (next season), but I don’t know if I’ll be able to.”
As is the case with so many post players at the age of 16, Orton tends to trail the action and spend too much time in the middle of the floor. He’s not quite there yet on distinguishing blocked shots from goaltending violations, but he does swat a lot of them. And he catches everything he gets his hands on.
“His hands are amazing,” said Henry, his AAU teammate. “I know all I have to do is put it close, and he’ll get it. And his arms are so long he can touch his knees without bending over.”
The Jayhawk Invitational can only help Kansas recruit because players such as Henry and Orton grow comfortable here with each return trip.
Eventually, landing Henry and Orton would be an amazing 1-2 Oklahoma score for the Kansas coaching staff, which first has a ton of work to do with the Class of 2008 in order to field a team capable of competing for a Big 12 championship in 2008-09.
Consider all the players who will be gone by then from the team that went 33-5 and made it to the Elite Eight: Julian Wright, Brandon Rush, Russell Robinson, Darnell Jackson, Sasha Kaun, Jeremy Case and Rod Stewart. Add Darrell Arthur, who isn’t likely to stay beyond his sophomore season, to the list. It’s conceivable guards Mario Chalmers and Sherron Collins could follow him out the door. Under that worst-case scenario, Brady Morningstar would be the only remaining player who came to Kansas on a men’s basketball scholarship.
Incoming recruits Cole Aldrich and Tyrel Reed would join Morningstar, as would scholarship-caliber walk-on Conner Teahan, a scoring machine.
KU coach Bill Self was able to recruit Arthur and Collins onto a crowded roster, so imagine what a haul he could pull in with anywhere from two to five vacant starting spots.
Four Class of 2008 prospects ranked among the top 15 by Rivals.com include Kansas on their lists: 1. F Greg Monroe of Harvey, La.; 9. G Brandon Jennings of Los Angeles; 13. G Willie Warren of Fort Worth, Texas; and 15. F Romero Osby of Meridian, Miss.
