The Kansas men’s basketball program on Tuesday night picked up its first commitment in the Class of 2024.
Small forward Marcus Adams Jr., a rising star in the class, made his announcement on on Instagram Live with Joe Tipton of On3.com. He chose KU over finalists UCLA and Syracuse and he made that known by putting on the blue KU hat in front of him and unzipping his black jacket to reveal a KU shirt underneath.
“Without further ado, I’d like to say I’ll be attending Kansas University,” Adams shouted into the mic. “Rock Chalk Jayhawk!”
He was surrounded by several friends and family members, who went wild when he made his pick. Adams cited both the KU coaching staff — specifically Bill Self and lead recruiter Kurtis Townsend — and the Kansas fan base for making him feel like Lawrence was the right place for him.
“I really liked the energy in the Fieldhouse,” he told Rivals.com after committing. “I feed off energy when I play and that place is the right place to be at.”
Kansas was not initially on Adams’ list of five finalists. But an official visit to KU in late February quickly changed that. When he released his top three and teased his announcement date on Monday, Adams had KU, UCLA and Syracuse on it and had removed Mississippi State, Oregon and Texas.
The 6-foot-8, 205-pound athletic forward visited Syracuse on Jan. 30 and UCLA last weekend for the Bruins’ home win over Arizona in a top-10 showdown in Westwood.
Still listed as a 3-star prospect by Rivals.com, Adams is sure to move up in the rankings now that he has made a commitment to Kansas.
Even before Tuesday’s commitment, Adams had soared to No. 29 in the 247 Sports rankings. 247 lists him as a four-star prospect.
According to 247, Adams is the 11th best small forward available in his class — the fourth best prospect in California, where he played for AAU program Compton Magic — and his ranking and rating both have continued to jump in the past couple of months. On Jan. 23, for instance, the Narbonne High prospect was ranked No. 61 by the recruiting web site.
According to multiple reports, Adams’ initial plan was to take a prep year following his senior season of high school ball. That may still happen. 247 Sports’ Eric Bossi noted tonight, though, that Adams also may still reclassify back into the 2023 class.
Kansas, which is expected to lose at least three players in the offseason while also having just 12 scholarships to hand out next season as part of a self-imposed penalty, already has three players committed in the 2023 class.
All three are listed as guards, with Elmarko Jackson and Jamari McDowell both measuring 6-3, 180, and Chris Johnson standing 6-6, 192.
Adams certainly fits the profile of the types of big wings Self has had success with in recent years.
“I would describe my game as a three-level scorer,” Adams told Tipton. “I can shoot the ball, post, handle, drive downhill and take advantage of mismatches.”
Even dating back as far as Josh Jackson in the 2016 class, Self’s approach has centered around long, strong, athletic wings who can play and guard multiple positions and put pressure on opposing defenses off the dribble and with their jump shot.
Current Big 12 player of the year Jalen Wilson is the latest example of that, but Self’s Jayhawks have watched others succeed in similar roles, as well, most notably Christian Braun and Ochai Agbaji from the 2021-22 national championship team and Gradey Dick and Kevin McCullar Jr. on this year’s squad.
Even former KU guard Svi Mykhailiuk, who measured 6-8, 205 his senior season, flashed some of the skills that these other wings have possessed.
Stay tuned to KUsports.com for more on Adams’ commitment…
