Just hours before the Jayhawks tipped off the 2020-21 season, KU’s 2021 recruiting class grew by one player, 6 feet, 8 inches and 265 pounds.
Class of 2021 power forward Sydney Curry, of John Logan Community College in Carterville, Ill., announced his commitment to Kansas just after 11 a.m. Thursday via Twitter.
Not yet ranked in the Rivals data base, the new KU big man chose Kansas over offers from Mississippi, Seton Hall and Texas A&M.
Curry said he has known since June that he was coming to Kansas but he wanted to wait for the season’s opening day to “start the season off right.”
“It was a no-brainer, really,” Curry told the Journal-World during a phone interview Thursday morning. “Coach Bill Self and that program speak for themselves and I’m just ready to get to work.”
Originally from Fort Wayne, Ind., Curry averaged 13.5 points and 8.3 rebounds a game as a freshman at Logan CC last season. He landed at Logan after originally being committed to Miami (Ohio). However, his failure to qualify for enrollment at Miami forced him to go the juco route and he’s made the most of it since.
Curry told the Journal-World he currently has a 3.5 grade-point average and that he views his second chance and the opportunity at Kansas as “a blessing that’s still pretty overwhelming, really.”
Curry’s strong connection with KU assistant Jerrance Howard played a big role in the Jayhawks landing him, and the strong forward who shot 73.9% from the floor last season is regarded as one of the top junior college prospects in the country heading into the 2020-21 season.
Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, Curry has not yet been able to visit KU’s campus. But he has had several conversations with KU’s coaching staff and also went through a virtual visit.
His highlight videos — not to mention that shooting percentage — bring to mind images of former KU big men Udoka Azubuike and Cliff Alexander. Going back even farther brings comparisons to former KU juco transfer Jeff Graves, who used his size to dominate the glass and his skills and footwork to score in close.
Curry becomes the third member of KU’s 2021 class — joining recent four-star signees KJ Adams and Zach Clemence — and his addition will provide the KU front court with some depth heading into the 2021-22 season and insurance at the power position in case junior forward David McCormack elects to leave school early after the 2020-21 season.
#COMMITED ????❤️ @KUHoops pic.twitter.com/yYyjRdcphj
— Sydney Curry (@Bigticket_sc) November 26, 2020
