Future Kansas University basketball forward Udoka Azubuike has been added to the roster of the World Team for Saturday’s Nike Hoops Summit.
Azubuike, a 6-foot-11, 260-pounder from Potter’s House Christian in Jacksonville, Fla., accepted an invitation following the withdrawal of Arizona signee Lauri Markkanen and Thon Maker, who has decided to apply for admission to the 2016 NBA Draft. Markkanen is the son of former KU forward Pekka Markkanen.
Azubuike, who is ranked No. 27 in the Class of 2016 by Rivals.com, scored nine points and grabbed eight boards while playing 15 minutes in the recent McDonald’s All-America game. He’s originally from Nigeria.
The game between the U.S. and the World will tip at 2 p.m., Central time, at Moda Center in Portland, Ore. L.J. Goolsby, coach of KC Run GMC, is head coach for the U.S. squad. The game will be shown live on ESPN2.
Barry on radar: Canyon Barry, a 6-6, 210-pound junior shooting guard from College of Charleston, who will be immediately eligible next season as a graduate transfer, has cut his list of possible schools to seven. They are: Kansas University, Cal, Florida, Louisville, Miami, Ole Miss and Northwestern.
Barry, the son of NBA Hall of Famer Rick Barry and brother of former KU player Scooter Barry, averaged a team-leading 19.7 points a game in 13 games last season. He missed several games because of a shoulder injury. A 40.2 percent shooter (33.3 from three), he scored 31 points against Davidson and South Carolina State, 30 vs. Campbell and 27 against East Carolina.
He hit 84.5 percent of his free throws while shooting them underhanded like dad, Rick.
“Coming out of high school, I didn’t have many offers, College of Charleston and really only a couple of other schools,” Barry, a graduate of Cheyenne Mountain High in Colorado Springs, told the Charleston Post and Courier’s Andrew Miller.
“This has been a complete 180-degree turnaround from that experience. My cell phone blew up when I made the announcement (he was leaving Charleston) and it’s been a humbling experience to talk with all the coaches I have over the last few weeks. It’s nice to feel wanted by coaches and to have programs that play at the highest level think you can play against the top players and schools in the country,” Barry added.
Barry, a 4.0 student, is working toward a bachelor’s degree in physics with a minor in math.
“It’s got to be the right fit, academically and athletically for me,” Barry told the Post and Courier. “I want to go somewhere I can be a contributor, but it’s more than just looking at a depth chart. It has to be a school that has what I’m looking for academically as well.”
To see Barry shoot free throws, go to the web address http://ljw.bz/1RAY7Fz
Holden considering Kansas: KU has made the final cut for Kory Holden, a 6-2 guard who has announced plans to leave Delaware after his sophomore season. A native of Salisbury, Md., Holden has a list of KU, Baylor, Virginia Tech, Seton Hall and South Carolina. Holden averaged 17.7 points and 4.2 assists a game last season for 7-23 Delaware. According to delmarvanow.com, he also has heard from Maryland, Miami, Nevada, Cincinnati and Louisiana Tech.
Allen pondering picks: Jarrett Allen, a 6-9 senior forward from St. Stephens Episcopal School in Austin, Texas, who is ranked No. 20 nationally, tells Zagsblog.com that he has a final list of KU, Texas, Houston, Kentucky, Notre Dame and North Carolina. He has visited all the schools except UNC.
“Their big men, like Perry Ellis in the (NCAA) Tournament … he’s been doing excellent,” Allen said of KU to zagsblog.com. “Overall, all their big men have progressed and developed.”
Whitt has heard from KU: Arkansas freshman Jimmy Whitt, a 6-4 combo guard from Columbia, Mo., has heard from KU, Colorado, Oklahoma, Wisconsin and North Carolina State, CBSsports.com reports. Whitt averaged 6.1 ppg for UA.