Kenny Pohto commits to Wichita State basketball for Brown’s first top-150 recruit
It didn’t take Isaac Brown long for the Wichita State men’s basketball head coach to land a top-150 prospect for his first recruiting class.
Kenny Pohto, a unanimous top-150 player in the 2021 recruiting class, verbally committed to the Shockers on Tuesday evening. The 6-foot-11 versatile player originally from Sweden won’t have to go far to begin his college career, as he will come to WSU after three years with Sunrise Christian Academy.
After originally signing with Minnesota last November, Pohto was released from his letter of intent on April 16 when the coaching staff was fired. He picked WSU over finalists Utah and SMU, while Sunrise coach Luke Barnwell said he received interest in Pohto from Ohio State, Georgia and Vanderbilt, among other high-major programs.
“Kenny is a very skilled and strong 6-foot-11 kid that’s extremely versatile on both sides of the ball,” Barnwell told The Eagle. “For us, he played more on the perimeter and shot threes and opened up the lane for us. He could really pass and was a very good screener. And then defensively, he can guard multiple positions and at times we could switch him onto point guards because he moves laterally so well.
“It’s always great to see one of our kids become a Shocker because this city loves basketball. We’re all excited to be able to watch him as he begins his college career.”
When Pohto became available this spring, Brown took a personal interest and was the lead recruiter from start to finish. In the end, Pohto said that’s what won him over and made him want to play for Brown.
“Being recruited by the head coach made me feel like they really wanted me,” Pohto told The Eagle. “Coach Brown established a great connection and relationship with me and my mother (who is still in Sweden). He would do Zoom meetings with us and I really liked that. I saw where he was called a player’s coach and I really liked that too.”
Pohto won’t be a stranger to playing basketball at a high level like in the American Athletic Conference.
As a starter for a loaded Sunrise team that reached two national championship games this past season, Pohto has plenty of big-game experience at the prep level. Playing on a team with five players averaging double-digits, Pohto averaged six points and four rebounds per game, shot 48% from the field and made 34% of his three-pointers.
“I think that should hopefully make the transition fairly smooth for him,” Barnwell said. “The guys he was guarding were lottery picks, NBA guys. I know there’s a lot of really great players in the American at a similar level and even more mature and older and more physical. I think Kenny should be able to adjust to that.”
While Pohto is 6-11 and 240 pounds, he is far from a lumbering center. While he could certainly play minutes at the five spot behind returning starter Morris Udeze and junior-college transfer Matthew McFarlane, Pohto has the athleticism and skill set to play alongside them as well at the power forward position and compete for minutes with returner Clarence Jackson and junior transfer Joe Pleasant.
That versatility is what WSU loved about adding Pohto to its 2021 recruiting class, which includes McFarlane, Pleasant and Division II All-American transfer guard Qua Grant. The Shockers are still expected to have two scholarships remaining after Pohto signs his letter of intent.
“Coach Brown told me that he could see me playing the four and also the five,” Pohto said. “Mo is the starting five and he thinks we could play together and I could go back and forth between the two spots. I feel like I can switch on defense and guard multiple positions.”
Pohto is a three-star prospect rated No. 144 in his class by the 247 Sports Composite rankings, while he is rated No. 148 overall and a three-star prospect by Rivals.
WSU has had a strong history of success when it lands top-150 recruits, as Pohto follows in the footsteps of Landry Shamet (No. 88 by Rivals in 2015), Tyson Etienne (No. 117 in 2019), Fred VanVleet (No. 138 in 2012) and Markis McDuffie (No. 145 in 2015).
Pohto hopes to also become an all-conference player like those players.
“I really like the playing style at Wichita State and I think it will fit my playing style perfectly,” Pohto said. “I am a skilled big who can stretch the floor and take advantage of smaller players in the post. I feel like with coach Brown’s help, he can help my game grow.
“I remember going to a game three years ago and I loved the atmosphere. (Koch Arena) was amazing and the fans were amazing, so I’m looking forward to it.”
This story was originally published May 4, 2021 at 5:54 PM.
.jpg)