While the Kansas basketball program’s 2017 recruiting class remains incomplete and a work in progress, the folks at Rivals.com have released their updated and final Rivals 150 rankings for the current class.
The two future Jayhawks on the list who already have signed with Kansas both dropped a couple of spots but more or less held their ground and maintained their status in the same tiers they were in during the previous update.
[Billy Preston, a 6-foot-9, 220-pound McDonald’s All-American from Oak Hill Academy][1] landed in the No. 10 spot in the final rankings. That was two spots down from his previous ranking of No. 8 but allowed Preston to maintain the distinction by which many had known him throughout the recruiting process — a Top 10 player in the class. Preston also remained a 5-star prospect.
Of Preston, who averaged a double-double (15.3 points and 10.4 rebounds) during his final prep season, KU coach Bill Self recently said: “He’s a prototypical 4 man. He’s a big guy that can handle the ball and shoot. He’s really a good prospect.”
[Marcus Garrett, a 6-foot-5, combo guard from Dallas’ Skyline High,][2] dropped one spot from No. 37 to 38 but remained higher than his initial ranking of No. 44 when he committed to Kansas last August. Garrett also held his status as a 4-star recruit.
Of Garrett, who nearly averaged a triple-double (17.3 points, 10.4 points and 9.1 assists) during his senior season while earning Texas Gatorade Player of the Year honors, Self recently said: “I think Marcus is gonna be good. Marcus is a 6-5 guard, he’s strong and he’s gonna be a really good player.”
The two players already officially committed to the program were not the only noteworthy prospects listed in the final Rivals 150 rankings.
[Trevon Duval, the top-ranked point guard in the class who has narrowed down his list to a final five of Arizona, Baylor, Duke, Kansas and Seton Hall,][3] dropped one spot, from No. 3 to No. 4 as he reached the homestretch of his recruitment.
The arrival of the spring signing period, which opened Wednesday and runs through May 17, creates a situation where Duval will not have to wait to sign whenever he makes his final decision. He can both commit and sign on the same day or, possibly even sign an official letter of intent with his chosen school before making his choice public.
Most recruiting analysts believe that Duval’s decision will come sometime later this month or early in May. But the reality is that it could come any day.
KU target Jeremiah Tilmon, a 6-10, 235-pound big man from East St. Louis, Ill., also received a new ranking in the updated list, falling from No. 25 to No. 42. Tilmon, who had committed to Illinois but asked for a release after the Illini changed coaches, is expected to receive a visit from Kansas assistant coach Jerrance Howard on Friday.
Self recently told the Journal-World that he would like to add a “quick-twitch 4 man” in the current class to back-up Preston, but added that, “If he’s not a quick-twitch guy, then hopefully (he’s) a guy that’s big enough to play the five. But there’s some guys out there and there’s gonna be a lot of seniors that will look to transfer so hopefully we’ll find one.”
Other names of note on the list include: [Brewster Academy guard Thomas Allen,][4] who recently was released from his commitment to NC State after the Wolfpack coaching change. Allen jumped from No. 149 on the list to No. 99.
Former Arizona State commitment Kenny Wooten, a 6-foot-8, 210-pound forward who recently reopened his recruitment and checks in at No. 140 on the list. Wooten, according to Rivals, had an offer from KU prior to committing to Arizona State.
[1]: http://www2.kusports.com/news/2016/nov/18/2017-pf-billy-preston-picks-kansas/
[2]: http://www2.kusports.com/news/2016/aug/01/ku-lands-commitment-4-star-dallas-pg-marcus-garret/
[3]: http://www2.kusports.com/weblogs/call-nightengale/2017/apr/11/five-star-point-guard-trevon-duval-open-/
[4]: http://www2.kusports.com/weblogs/tale-tait/2017/apr/4/ku-recruiting-update-who-is-thomas-allen/
