Newcomer Tyon Grant-Foster will become the latest Jayhawk to wear No. 1, the Kansas basketball program announced recently.
Rated by some analysts as the top junior college prospect in the country out of Indian Hills Community College in Ottumwa, Iowa, Grant-Foster, appropriately, was the first player in the 2020 class to commit to KU. He signed last November during the early signing period.
Originally from Schlagle High, in Kansas City, Kan., Grant-Foster grew up as a close friend of current Jayhawk, Christian Braun, and he developed a strong connection with KU assistant coach Jerrance Howard during the recruiting process.
With his length, athleticism and versatility, Grant-Foster fits the mold of recent KU signees Tristan Enaruna, Jalen Wilson and Braun, players who can play multiple positions and be used in a variety of ways.
He told the Journal-World shortly after committing that the Kansas coaches told him he could play the 1, 2 and 3 positions, on both offense and defense, with the Jayhawks.
He said he made the decision to wear No. 1 to honor his later brother, Domo, who died last summer.
The juco transfer wore No. 13 during his two seasons at Indian Hills, where he averaged 8.2 points per game as a freshman in 2018-19. He doubled that output last season, averaging 16.5 points per game to earn honorable mention juco All-American honors.
During the pandemic-shortened 2019-20 season, Grant-Foster helped lead Indian Hills to a 30-3 record, scoring 20 points or more 11 times and averaging 6.5 rebounds, 1.5 blocks and 1.7 3-point makes per game.
Grant-Foster is the second newcomer to have his number announced by the KU program.
Five-star guard [Bryce Thompson recently revealed that he will wear No. 24 with the Jayhawks][1] in honor of the late Kobe Bryant, whom Thompson idolized as a young player.
The Jayhawks have had a player wear No. 1 for three consecutive seasons and eight of the last nine.
Only the 2016-17 roster was missing a No. 1. Devon Dotson (2019-20) and Dedric Lawson (2017-19) held down the number on the last three Kansas teams. Wayne Selden Jr. (2013-16) and Naadir Tharpe (2011-13) also wore No. 1 for the Jayhawks.
Tharpe changed his number from 1 to 10 for his final season in 2013-14.
The other Jayhawks who have worn the slim single digit include: Xavier Henry during his lone season with Kansas in 2009-10, Jeff Hawkins from 2001-06 and former two-sport threat Mario Kinsey, who played in 16 games for Roy Williams’ team during the 2000-01 basketball season.
Kinsey also wore No. 17 while playing quarterback for the Jayhawks during the 2001 season.
[1]: http://www2.kusports.com/weblogs/tale-tait/2020/may/4/mamba-mentality-incoming-jayhawk-bryce-t/
