Late Night is always one of the more important recruiting days of the year. This year is no different, as a massive amount of recruits are scheduled to be in the house as Kansas kicks off practice for the 2016-17 season. The list is so big, in fact, that I had to split it up into two parts. We’ll look at the class of 2017 guys today, and then the classes of 2018 and 2019 tomorrow.
Troy Brown - G/F - Las Vegas, NV (247 Composite Ranking: 13)
Brown measured at 6-6.5 last summer, and led Team USA in minutes at the 2016 U-17 World Championships in 2016. Brown is a very versatile player who struggles a bit with quickness and an outside shot (the obvious comp here is Evan Turner, though in fairness I saw DraftExpress make that comp first). He is a lean to Cal, Arizona, or Oregon according to 247.
Collin Sexton - G - Mableton, GA (247 Composite Ranking: 7)
Sexton shot like a rocket onto the scene last summer. He went from unranked at the start of the EYBL season to winning the MVP at the U-17 World Championships. Sexton is maybe the best scorer in the class, has a long wingspan, and is virtually unstoppable in transition. If you’re looking for a KU comparison, think Frank Mason but a few inches taller. Needless to say, he’s my favorite recruit in the class.
Billy Preston - F - Los Angeles, CA (247 Composite Ranking: 12)
Even though Kansas made Preston’s top 5, all of the smart money seems to be coming in on USC in terms of his commitment. Preston probably doesn’t fit the KU system of big men given the knock on his game is he tends to shoot early jumpers and handle the ball too much. Still, he offers an intriguing mix of skills and would be a welcome addition to the frontcourt. It is worth noting he has played at Prime Prep, and with Emmanuel Mudiay and Terrance Ferguson being recent college casualties from there, Preston’s eligibility might be an issue.
Tremont Waters - G - New Haven, CT (247 Composite Ranking: 37)
Kansas isn’t listed even in the top 3 for Waters, so this might be more of a sightseeing trip for him, but who knows. The 5-11 guard has drawn some Shabazz Napier comparisons, and looks like a good compliment to current KU commit Marcus Garrett. Waters looks like a but of a hybrid, even at 5-11, in that he can both run a team and look to score.
Cody Riley - F - Chatsworth, CA (247 Composite Ranking: 35)
Riley looks to be headed to UCLA, and Kansas has a lot of ground to make up there, but if they can, the Jayhawks are looking at adding a guy who has been effective with his back to the basket throughout his basketball career. However, at just 6-7, Riley will likely have to play the wing to be effective in college, and certainly to have any chance at a pro career, which might stunt his production in college.
Marcus Garrett - G - Dallas, TX (247 Composite Ranking: 51)
The first 2017 commit to Kansas, Garrett will get to take in his first of hopefully a few Late Nights. Garrett is, to me, most intriguing for what he can offer defensively. At 6-5 with a long wingspan, he can potentially guard 1-3 in any college lineup. He has gotten dinged a bit for his off ball defense, but that’s one thing that is pretty much guaranteed to improve under Bill Self. Offensively, Garrett looks like a versatile guard who can both score at the rim and with his jumper.