Kyle Cuffe Jr., the No. 78-ranked player in recruiting Class of 2022, picks Kansas
Kyle Cuffe Jr., a 6-foot-2, 175-pound junior combo guard from Blair Academy in New Jersey who is ranked No. 78 in the recruiting Class of 2022 by Rivals.com, on Saturday verbally committed to play basketball at Kansas.
Cuffe, the son of former St. John’s power forward Kyle Cuffe Sr., picked the Jayhawks over Kansas State, St. John’s and Georgia. He made the announcement at Gauchos Gym in The Bronx, New York.
Seated at a table with his mom, dad and two sisters, he declared that Kansas was his choice in removing a sweatshirt to reveal a blue KU T-shirt. He said attending KU gave him his “best opportunity as a student and basketball player.”
Cuffe received his scholarship offer from KU on Sept 2. K-State offered on May 19. He also considered Pitt, Texas A&M, UConn, Georgetown, Iona, Seton Hall, UCLA, Providence and others.
Cuffe Sr., averaged 11.2 points and 7.2 rebounds per game his senior season at St. John’s (2003-04). Cuffe Sr., attended Rice High School in Harlem, New York, the alma mater of former KU national championship point guard Russell Robinson.
Cuffe Jr. placed Robinson’s picture on his Twitter post reporting KU’s offer of a scholarship.
“Yes I know Kyle Cuffe Sr. He played at my Rice High School before me. He was one of my favorite players,” Robinson told The Star in a direct Twitter message. “He has some great offers so far. Of course I’m pulling for KU (to land Cuffe Jr.),” Robinson added.
Cuffe is the first member of the Class of 2022 to choose KU. He has said in the past he may consider switching to the Class of 2021. He told 247sports.com that his current plan is “committing for the Class of ‘22 and I’ll be staying for 2022.”
“Going to the school I’m about to go to, I never thought I’d go to that college. That college is a once in a lifetime thing,” Cuffe said in a video released prior to his decision.
“Figuring out where I want to go, now that I’ve figured it out I’m not stressed at all. The school I’m picking is the one.”
Of KU, Cuffe told 247sports.com: “It’s KU, always top contenders for a national title.”
He added to 247sports.com: “The coaching staff (including KU assistant Norm Roberts, former head coach at St. John’s) made it feel like home to me, and my family backed me up every step of the way. I knew what I wanted in a school. With COVID going on and everything, I felt like I didn’t need to see the school. I didn’t take any visits to any schools due to COVID. I felt like I know myself and I know what I want in a school and I want to do, so I was like, ‘This is the right school for me.’”
Of his son’s game, his dad said Kyle Jr., has “toughness and competitiveness. Kyle is not someone that is going to back down from things. I have to give credit to his mom because that is something he got from her. He’s got that drive and heart that a coach is going to love.”
His Blair Academy coach, Joe Mantegna wrote on Twitter: “Big day for one of the most joyful and uplifting dudes I have ever coached! Energy giver!”
PSA Cardinals coach Mark Carter, who coached Cuffe on the AAU circuit told Rivals.com: “Kyle is a consummate leader. He prides himself on getting better every day and inspires others around him to do the same. He plays the game with passion and stays completely in the moment. His focus and drive are remarkable. I have no doubts that he will continue to grow and be ready to contribute at the next level from day one.”
Cuffe Jr., told Rivals.com he has followed KU for many years.
“I love the history of Kansas and what Bill Self has to offer. I talk to coach Self and coach Norm Roberts on the daily. They let me know what I would bring to them and how much they value me. They also let me know how much I would value them,” Cuffe said.
“Getting the Kansas offer meant a lot,”Cuffe told 247sports.com. “It’s one of the power five schools and it’s big for me to get. It just shows the work I’ve been putting in. I speak to assistant coach Norm Roberts all the time. We built a great relationship along with coach Self and that’s been really big. Their message is they love the way I play, how energetic I am, and how I play both sides of the ball. They like how I can contribute to the team on the court and off the court as well.”
Noted Chick Gillespie of Phenom Hoops Report: ‘If there is one thing you can count on with Kyle Cuffe it’s that when he has the ball in his hands the chances of a high-flying play increase . . . as he was getting to the rim for strong flushes plus his perimeter jump shot is becoming a weapon.”
Gillespie added to The Star in a direct message: “Kyle Jr. is an exceptional athlete who is starting to expand his game a bit to include perimeter jump shots but his bread and butter is still getting to the cup and rising up for the athletic finish.”
The Jayhawks have corralled three players thus far in the Class of 2021.
They are: Zach Clemence, a 6-10, 215-pound senior forward from Sunrise Christian Academy in Bel Aire, Kansas; K.J. Adams, a 6-foot-6, 220-pound senior power forward from Westlake High School in Austin, Texas; and Sydney Curry, a 6-8 sophomore forward from Logan Community College, Carterville, Illinois
This story was originally published December 19, 2020 at 6:44 PM with the headline "Kyle Cuffe Jr., the No. 78-ranked player in recruiting Class of 2022, picks Kansas."
