KU Jayhawks hoops schedule to send freshman Kyle Cuffe Jr. back to Big Apple twice
It’s 1,270 miles from the Harlem, New York childhood home of Kyle Cuffe Jr. to Lawrence, Kansas, the University of Kansas freshman basketball combo guard’s new college home.
The distance — “it’s got to be 5, 6 hours flying (counting connection), 14 or 15 hours driving,” Cuffe said — will make it difficult for the Big Apple native to visit family and friends back east if and when he experiences any first-year bouts of homesickness.
That’s where KU’s 2021-22 men’s basketball schedule comes in handy.
The Jayhawks open the season against Michigan State in the Nov. 9 Champions Classic at New York’s Madison Square Garden. Then, just 23 days later, KU returns to play his mom and dad’s alma mater, St. John’s, in the Big 12/Big East Battle at UBS Arena, new home of the NHL’s New York Islanders. That $1.5 billion all-purpose facility is located next to the Belmont Park race track in Elmont, New York.
“It means a lot to be able to go home. I think it’ll make me feel more at ease (as he adjusts to college so far away),” Cuffe said.
On Tuesday, just three days after reporting to KU’s campus for two months of summer school classes and hoop workouts, Cuffe and fellow KU newcomers Zach Clemence and Joseph Yesufu made the short drive to Topeka to work as camp counselors at Brett Ballard’s Washburn basketball camp at Lee Arena, home of the Ichabods.
Cuffe and his parents made the 3.5 hour flight from the Big Apple to Kansas City over the weekend to help Kyle move into his new apartment at McCarthy Hall. They’ll most certainly be on hand for those early-season contests in New York, as well as many of the well-wishers who attended Cuffe’s KU commitment ceremony on Dec. 19, 2020 at Gauchos Gym in the Bronx.
“I’ve got a lot of family — uncles, cousins, teammates in New York,” said Cuffe, who played his senior year for Blair Academy in Blairstown, New Jersey and AAU ball for the PSA Cardinals program. His parents, who are from New York, currently live in Toms River, New Jersey, about an hour and a half drive from the Big Apple.
“It’s going to be fun, just the fact I’m going to be able to come back and play in front of my parents and family and friends. Especially my mom and dad, the ones who have been with me my whole entire life.”
Cuffe’s dad, Kyle Cuffe Sr., played college basketball four years at St. John’s after graduating from Rice High School, the alma mater of former KU guard Russell Robinson.
Kyle Sr. averaged 11.2 points and 7.2 rebounds a game in 2003-04, his senior year at the Big East school.
“To be able to go play St. John’s where my dad went four years and started, that’s exciting. To play where the Islanders are playing, that’s amazing,” Cuffe said.
The 6-foot-2, 180-pound Cuffe, who scored 50 points combined in two games for Blair Academy during the COVID-ravaged 2020-21 season after averaging 16.0 points, 5.0 rebounds, 3.0 assists and 2.0 steals a game for (24-3) Blair Academy in 2019-20, chose KU over St. John’s, Kansas State, Georgia, Pitt, Texas A&M, UConn, Georgetown, Iona, Seton Hall, UCLA and Providence.
“I know everything about St. John’s. I grew up on St. John’s,” Cuffe said. “We are a St. John’s family. Just to have that game is special.
“My dad … he was so excited when I told him (about the game). He was like, ‘I know that’s my school but I’m still going to root for you guys. You’re my son. You can’t lose to them, though. You’ve got to make sure you go out and beat them.’’’
Kyle Jr. will likely get chills during warmups before the game against Michigan State at the Garden.
“I’ve been to many games there, from when I was first born up until the last college basketball game right before COVID. I was there when they canceled the St. John’s-Purdue game at halftime in the Big East tournament (March 12, 2020). They said the game was over because of COVID,” Cuffe recalled.
Cuffe said he has high hopes for his freshman season.
Of course there’s a lot of competition in the KU backcourt, especially if former Arizona State point guard Remy Martin removes his name from the 2021 NBA Draft pool to play one season at KU.
The Jayhawks also have added former Drake point guard Yesufu, a junior, and freshman point Bobby Pettiford to go with returning point guard Dajuan Harris.
“He is my teammate. I am going to learn as much as I can from him,” Cuffe said, asked specifically about Martin. “He’s an old guy, well not an old guy but he’s played in a college system.
“I talk to Joseph a lot. We’ve been texting here and there (prior to arriving on campus). I’m going to be feeding off him, learning what got him to Kansas, being able to share the opportunity. Drake is a really great school. To go to a big-time school like Kansas now is even bigger for him.”
Of Harris, Cuffe said: “We talk about what I like to do in my free time. He wants to make sure I’m as comfortable as possible. I’m just going to feed off a bunch of these guys. I know I’m going to love it here.
“I know I am going to be one of the youngest players on the team this year (after switching from Class of 2022 to ’21), but I’m excited to come and excited to compete against everybody and get to work,” added Cuffe, 18, who is actually the second youngest player on the roster to Clemence.
“We have our first drills today. I’m looking forward to that,” he added of KU’s late-afternoon workout on Tuesday, first day of the 2021 summer school session.
Cuffe, who is ranked No. 106 in the recruiting Class of 2021 according to Rivals.com, said he was sold on the family atmosphere of KU basketball during recruiting.
“The way coach (Bill) Self, coach Norm (Roberts) and the whole coaching staff, coach Quartlebaum (Fred, director of basketball operations) approached me, they were honest. Coach Norm knew my dad from when he was younger. They’d built a relationship before. Coach Q is from New York. Just to have those ties is nice,” Cuffe said.
Self believes Cuffe will have a stellar career at KU.
“Kyle is an athlete who is really in the 2022 class that just reclassified because he’s done so well in school,” Self said. “He’s going to come out a year early. We think he has an unbelievable future because he can shoot the ball and is an athlete, what a great combination.”
Cuffe has been preparing for this opportunity.
“I’ve been working out nonstop,” he said. “I jumped a grade so I had to come in even more prepared than I was before. I work out all over with a bunch of different people to make sure I’m tough and my motor is up, in tip-top shape. It’s been a little nerve-wracking waiting to get started. I think I’m ready. I like to compete, that’s my thing, and I know I’ll do everything I can to try to make sure I’m on the floor.”
That’s in Kansas and in the Garden on Nov. 9 and UBS Arena on Dec. 2.
This story was originally published June 9, 2021 at 5:00 AM with the headline "KU Jayhawks hoops schedule to send freshman Kyle Cuffe Jr. back to Big Apple twice."
