ESPN.com gives high marks to KU’s three-player men’s hoops recruiting class of 2022
ESPN.com has ranked Kansas’ three-player men’s basketball recruiting Class of 2022 the second-best in the country at this early point of the 2021-22 school year.
Analyst Adam Finkelstein on Wednesday indicated the group of No. 20-rated MJ Rice, No. 25 Gradey Dick and No. 78 Zuby Ejiofor checks in right behind Duke’s Dariq Whitehead and Kyle Filipowski, who are ranked Nos. 5 and 10 in the class respectively.
“While Bill Self has built one of the best rosters in college basketball by conquering the transfer market, he once again has the Jayhawks recruiting the high school market at an elite national level,” Finkelstein of ESPN.com wrote Wednesday. “It began with a commitment from local Kansas product Gradey Dick last spring. Dick will provide them with a productive and reliable big wing who is proven against elite competition and well-rounded with his floor game.
“Mj Rice gives them a power wing with an improved skill level. He’ll remind Jayhawk fans of Wayne Selden a little bit and provide an ideal complement to Dick on the wing. Zuby Ejiofor is a throwback-style power forward who could play some small ball 5 in the modern game. He’s powerful, explosive and ultra-aggressive with a high motor,” Finkelstein added.
Rice, a 6-foot-5, 225-pound senior guard/forward from Prolific Prep in Napa, California who committed to KU on Aug. 10, is ranked No. 23 nationally by Rivals.com and No. 26 by 247sports.com. Dick, a 6-7 senior small forward from Sunrise Christian Academy in Bel Aire, Kansas, who orally committed to KU on March 3, is ranked No. 32 by 247sports.com and No. 37 by Rivals.com. And Ejiofor, a 6-8, 220-pound senior power forward from Garland (Texas) High School, who committed to KU on July 1, is ranked No. 38 in the Class of 2022 by 247sports.com and No. 47 by Rivals.com.
ESPN.com’s “way early” recruiting rankings include Ohio State’s current class at No. 3 nationally followed by North Carolina, Virginia, Baylor, UCLA, Oregon, Indiana and Michigan.
Rivals.com and 247sports.com also have team recruiting rankings updated at various times through the school year. KU’s three-player class is ranked No. 1 at this time by Rivals.com, followed by UCLA, Ohio State, Duke, UConn, UNC, Oregon, Virginia, Indiana and Xavier.
247sports.com’s early rankings have Ohio State No. 1, followed by KU, UNC, Virginia, Arkansas, Indiana, Duke, UCLA, Oregon and Iowa State.
The rankings could change drastically in coming weeks. Kentucky is said to be the likely destination of ESPN.com’s No. 1-ranked player, Shaedon Sharpe, who will announce his college choice on Tuesday. Also, No. 12 Chris Livingston, who will announce his college choice on Oct. 15, has the Wildcats in a final group that consists of Kentucky, Memphis, Georgetown and Tennessee State. Of course both players ultimately could choose playing in the NBA’s G League over college one year.
KU currently No. 2 in ESPN.com preseason hoops rankings
With rosters finally set for the 2021-22 college basketball season, ESPN.com’s Jeff Borzello has finalized his preseason team rankings for the upcoming campaign.
Gonzaga, as it did in July in ESPN’s last preseason Top 25, is No. 1, followed by Kansas, UCLA, Villanova, Texas and Purdue. Memphis, which was previously unranked, now is No. 7 following the late roster additions of Emoni Bates and Jalen Duren. Michigan is now No. 8, Kentucky No. 9 and Baylor No. 10. Duke is 11 followed by Oregon, Illinois, Arkansas, Houston, Alabama, North Carolina, Tennessee, Ohio State, Maryland, Florida State, Auburn, Oklahoma State, Virginia Tech and Virginia. Texas Tech, which was ranked No. 24 previously, dropped out of the rankings.
Vitale includes KU’s Remy Martin on watch list
ESPN’s Dick Vitale has included KU Super Senior point guard Remy Martin on his “Sweet 16 players I want to watch during the 2021-22 season.”
“Bill Self had to be thrilled to add an experienced player in Arizona State transfer Martin, who led the Pac-12 last season in scoring at 19.1 PPG,” Vitale wrote this week.
Vitale also included Texas newcomer Marcus Carr and Baylor’s James Akinjo on his personal must-watch list.
“One of the nation’s top transfers, Carr averaged 19.4 PPG for Minnesota last season. He will join an impressive group of transfers in Austin,” Vitale wrote.
Of Akinjo, he wrote: “Scott Drew has relied on transfers in the past -- he won the title game with several. Now he will rely on Akinjo, who averaged 15.6 PPG at Arizona last season and was the Big East Freshman of the Year while at Georgetown.”
KU to be involved in must-see games
Vitale included three KU games on his lists of “Sweet 16 nonconference games I want to watch.”
Of Kentucky vs. KU on Jan. 29, he wrote: “Always nice to see bluebloods facing off, this time as part of an SEC/Big 12 Challenge contest at Allen Fieldhouse.”
Of Michigan State vs. KU on Nov .9, he wrote: “The Champions Classic at Madison Square Garden is always one of the best early-season events, with Tom Izzo facing Bill Self in this edition.”
Of KU vs. St. John’s on Dec. 2, he wrote: “The Red Storm return star Julian Champagnie. This part of the 2021 Big 12/Big East Battle — to be held at the new home of the NHL’s New York Islanders — is a huge test for St. John’s to gain national respect.”
This story was originally published September 2, 2021 at 5:52 AM with the headline "ESPN.com gives high marks to KU’s three-player men’s hoops recruiting class of 2022."
