Three highly regarded, uncommitted senior basketball prospects to attend KU Late Night
Three of the country’s top uncommitted high school senior basketball players will join two future Jayhawks in the stands for Friday’s 37th-annual Late Night in the Phog at Allen Fieldhouse.
Sunrise Christian Academy’s Gradey Dick and Garland (Texas) High’s Zuby Ejiofor, who have already pledged to KU, will watch the proceedings with fellow blue-chippers Mark Mitchell and Yohan Traore, who are on official visits and Chandler Jackson, who is on an unofficial recruiting trip to Lawrence.
The Late Night show will start at 6:30 p.m., and run to approximately 9 p.m. Admission is free. Doors open at 4:30 p.m. for students and 5 p.m. for the general public.
“it’s no secret schools want to bring in prospects when they are having energy and things like that,” said KU coach Bill Self, who cannot comment on individual recruits in accordance with NCAA rules. “We’re one of several schools out there that does something like this. I hope it’s fun for all,” he added.
Suffice it to say landing two or three of the uncommitted seniors would assure Self a top five recruiting Class of 2022.
Here’s a look at the above-mentioned five players expected to attend the 37th-annual Late Night. It’s likely several high school juniors and sophomores, many from the area, also will attend on unofficial visits.
Mark Mitchell, 6-8, 210, senior small forward, Sunrise Christian Academy, Bel Aire, Kansas
Mitchell, who is ranked No. 11 nationally by Rivals.com and 247sports.com and No. 30 by ESPN.com, has a final four of KU, Missouri, UCLA and Duke and is in the process of visiting each of those schools for a second time.
He’ll be in Lawrence this weekend with his Sunrise teammate, Gradey Dick.
“Once he finishes his next round of official visits, Mitchell plans to take some time before coming to a final decision,” wrote Dan McDonald of Rivals.com .”His current plan is to wait until at least December to see how the beginning of the college basketball season plays out. There is a lot of speculation about Duke having the edge going into this next round of visits, which could very well be the case, but UCLA made another really strong impression (on recent visit) and Kansas and Missouri are very much on his mind,” McDonald added.
Mitchell, who attended Bishop Miege three years, is slated to visit Missouri on Oct. 8-10 and Duke on Oct. 15-17.
“They’ve been recruiting me the longest,” Mitchell said of KU in an interview with Rivals.com. “I have a great relationship with (assistant) coach Norm (Roberts) and I’ve gotten to know coach Self well, too. My roommate, Gradey Dick, is going there. They have a lot to offer as far as being close to home and availability at my position.”
Of MU he said: “I loved it there. Columbia is a great college town and the staff is like family. The facilities are nice. Everything about Mizzou is a good atmosphere and I feel like if I went there, I could help change the culture. I’ve known Aidan Shaw for a while. We played together in middle school and our parents are good friends.”
Shaw, a 6-8 senior forward from Blue Valley High School, committed to MU on Sept. 17.
Yohan Traore, 6-11, 227, senior forward, Dream City Christian, Glendale, Arizona
Traore, who is ranked No. 4 in the recruiting Class of 2022 by Rivals.com, No. 9 by 247sports.com and No. 29 by ESPN.com, is being recruited by KU, Texas Tech, Oklahoma State, LSU, UCLA, Utah, Tennessee, Louisville, Memphis, Michigan and Australia’s pro league.
“Traore is a skilled, efficient, and productive big man with a good natural frame,” wrote Brandon Jenkins of 247sports.com. “His efficiency comes in how he generally plays within himself offensively and does what is asked of him. Traore displays a natural shooting touch not only inside but out to 15 feet and he always looks to dunk everything he possibly can while operating inside or in the dunker spot. He also has great hands, is a solid rebounder, and runs the floor with purpose. Traore has the size, mobility, and skill as a big man that high major guards would love to play with.”
Of his future, Traore, who was born in France, told On3.com: “The professional option is very interesting because you’re going to learn a lot — how to be disciplined, play the right way and you get to play against pros. So you’re going to get a lot of experience. It can be a good thing. But it can also be a bad thing because you can get lost. Sometimes people go pro just to get money, but that’s not good. If you go pro, you have to be ready. It’s not going to be easy. But it’s definitely one of my options.”
Chandler Jackson, 6-4, 200, senior point guard, Christian Brothers High School, Memphis
Jackson, the No. 56-rated player in the Class of 2022 by ESPN.com and 247sports.com and No. 90 by Rivals.com, has a list of KU, Missouri, Tennessee, Virginia Tech, Alabama, Florida State, Memphis, Ole Miss, South Carolina State, Texas and Vanderbilt.
“I’m looking at the environment, how everything is around there (KU),” Jackson told Zagsblog.com.
Of KU, he told 247sports.com: “Coach Self is there. It’s a big-time program. Just experiencing a college like that that has made a name for itself and just the people coach has gotten to the league (will be exciting).”
Of MU he said: “I like how they practice, how they conduct things around there. They’re family-oriented and their play style would fit me.”
Jackson averaged 17.5 points, 5.1 rebounds, and 4.2 assists per game his junior year at Christian Brothers High.
“He has a tremendous physical build for a combo guard. Strong and long,” wrote Jerry Meyer of 247sports.com. “Not a huge leaper but makes plays in traffic with his powerful athleticism. A very efficient ball handler. Gets to his spots with precision. Has an array of finishes off the dribble. At his best scoring off the dribble. Also keeps defense honest with his ability to catch and shoot. Sees the floor well and can distribute as well as score. Is a formidable defender and rebounder.”
Memphis, which has recruited well of late, might be the favorite to land Jackson. Jackson told localmemphis.com that current Tigers Johnathan Lawson and Alex Lomax as well as future Tiger Amarr Knox, have been talking to him about attending Memphis.
Jackson’s dad, David, plays pro basketball in France.
Gradey Dick, 6-7, 195, senior small forward, Sunrise Christian Academy, Bel Aire, Kansas
Dick, the No. 25-ranked player in the recruiting Class of 2022 by ESPN.com, No. 35 by 247sports.com and No. 37 by Rivals.com, orally committed to KU on March 3. Last year’s Gatorade State Player of the Year chose KU over Alabama, Baylor, Florida, Illinois, Oklahoma State, Purdue and Texas Tech.
Dick in August teamed with future Duke player Kyle Filipowski, future Baylor player Keyonte George and IMG Academy’s Eric Dailey to win the gold medal for Team USA at the Under-18 3-on-3 World Cup in Hungary. The USA went 6-0 at the event.
Prior to heading to Sunrise Christian for his junior year, Dick was a standout basketball and baseball player at Wichita Collegiate. He was a 2019 all-league selection at shortstop. He played AAU basketball for KC Run GMC.
“A long and lean shooter with a strong basketball IQ and great size for the wing position, Dick is a knock down shooter that demands the defense’s attention. He is one of the better shooters in the country as he demonstrates a stroke behind the arc that has been impressive,” wrote Brandon Jenkins of 247sports.com. “He is a good athlete who is more bouncy than the eye test would lead you to believe. He competes to win and his future as a spot-up shooter is what excites college coaches.”
Dick’s dad played football and baseball at Fort Hays State, while his mother played basketball for Iowa State and professionally in Japan.
Zuby Ejiofor, 6-8, 215, senior power forward, Garland (Texas) High School
Ejiofor, the No. 41-ranked player in the recruiting Class of 2022 by 247sports.com, No. 47 by Rivals.com and No. 77 by ESPN.com, orally committed to KU on July 1. He chose Bill Self’s Jayhawks over Texas, TCU, Georgia Tech, Oklahoma, Houston and Arkansas.
Ejiofor averaged 21.0 points and 13.0 rebounds per game during his junior season at Garland High School. He scored 36 points and grabbed 15 rebounds for Houston Hoops this summer in an AAU basketball game against 3D Empire.
“The fact is Kansas is a basketball school. Most of their players go to the league which is where I’m trying to go,” Ejiofor said. “The coaches all have experience. It’s an honor to be able to play there.
“It is everything,” he added. “The facility, the coaching staff, the players. Kansas is pretty much where basketball started and they have a history of winning.”
Ejiofor was born in the United States, but moved to Nigeria with his parents when he was very young. He moved back to the U.S. in sixth grade and started playing basketball for the first time in eighth grade.
His dad currently lives in Nigeria, and his mom travels back and forth between the U.S. and Nigeria.
“Ejiofor is an athletic and tough 215 pounder who always plays hard,” wrote Eric Bossi of 247sports.com. “He runs the floor extremely well, can play above the rim in traffic and is consistently one of the most energetic players in the rising senior class. He loves to attack the rim from the elbow and while his athleticism certainly stands out, he has a good base set of skill.”
This story was originally published October 1, 2021 at 7:36 AM with the headline "Three highly regarded, uncommitted senior basketball prospects to attend KU Late Night."
