KU, Mizzou pursue Oak Hill Academy basketball recruit, who is considering four schools
Justin McBride, a 6-foot-7, 215-pound junior power forward from Oak Hill Academy in Mouth of Wilson, Virginia, has included Kansas and Missouri on his current list of four colleges.
McBride, who is originally from Plano, Texas, reported on Twitter this week through On3.com that he’s narrowed his list to KU, MU, Arkansas and Texas Tech. He cut Georgia, Tennessee, Louisville and others from his previous group of contenders.
“All the schools I included showed me the most love,” McBride told 247sports.com. “They reached out, text me and told me about the plays within their system.”
McBride, who is ranked No. 65 in the recruiting Class of 2023 by 247sports.com and and No. 103 by Rivals.com, will make a recruiting trip to Texas Tech this weekend. He’s already visited MU and wants to schedule visits to KU and Arkansas.
Of KU, the Drive Nation (Texas) AAU player told Zagsblog.com: “They talk to me monthly. I just like their play style, too..”
He added to 247sports.com: “My friend Dajuan Harris goes there. He tells me a lot about the program and I have talked to their coaching staff multiple times.”
Of MU, McBride told Zagsblog.com: “It was a great visit and I have family right down the street, such as my grandma and stuff, so it’s a good team for me. They’re a good transition team. I like the play style, too.”
He told 247sports.com: “I have been knowing Cuonzo Martin since I was in sixth grade so I have been having that relationship with them for a while.”
McBride helped Team USA win a gold medal at the FIBA Americas Under 16 championships Aug. 23-29 in Mexico. He averaged 7.7 points. and 5.5 rebounds per game for the U.S., which went 6-0 at the event.
Adem Bona to visit Baylor this weekend
Adem Bona, a 6-9, 225-pound senior center from Prolific Prep in Napa, California, who visited KU last weekend, is headed to Baylor for a visit this weekend.
Bona will travel to Kentucky on Oct. 1-3 and UCLA on Oct. 22-24. On Aug. 30, Bona reported a top eight of KU, Arizona State, Baylor, Kentucky, Miami, UCLA, USC, and the NBL (Australia).
Bona is ranked No. 10 nationally by 247sports.com and No. 33 by Rivals.com.
“He is a superior energy guy. Maybe his greatest skill and talent is how hard he plays,” Prolific Prep coach Billy McKnight told the Lexington Herald-Leader on Tuesday. “But then he’s also just a physical freak. I’m not sure I’ll ever be able to coach another guy like him again. He’s just an incredible runner, jumper — he’s just a physical specimen. And he finishes way above the rim, touches way up the backboard, way over the square.
“Defensively, he rebounds outside of his area. He blocks shots. He distracts shots all over the place. So he’s just an extremely physically gifted guy. But it’s not just his physical gifts. He plays so hard, and he brings such energy to the game. And that’s why he’s got places like Kentucky interested in him.”
McKnight called Kentucky, UCLA and Kansas the three “main” schools in Bona’s recruitment.
Jordan Walsh headed to Memphis this weekend
Jordan Walsh, a 6-7, 190-pound senior small forward from Link Year Prep in Branson, Missouri, will visit Memphis this weekend.
Walsh, who is the No. 31-ranked player in the recruiting Class of 2022 by Rivals.com and No. 38 by 247sports.com, visited Texas last weekend after making trips to TCU (June 10-12), Arkansas (June 24-26), Oklahoma (Aug. 1) and Arizona State (Sept. 10-12). He will visit KU on Oct. 8-10.
This story was originally published September 24, 2021 at 6:59 AM with the headline "KU, Mizzou pursue Oak Hill Academy basketball recruit, who is considering four schools."
