Considering that Kansas is one of the nation’s elite basketball programs, it makes sense that there would be a number of players with offers from the Jayhawks at one of the nation’s elite summer camps. TheShiver.com spoke with Perry Ellis ’12 and JP Tokoto ’12 on Friday and then checked in with Ben McLemore ’11, Josiah Turner ’11, and Jabari Parker ’13 on Saturday.
Ben McLemore is a 6’5, 180-pound wing out of Wellston (MO). Next year, though, McLemore confirmed he will be taking his game to Oak Hill Academy (VA), as his mother has approved the decision.
“It took her a while,” McLemore said. “She had to realize it’s a good opportunity. We sat down and discussed it and she made up her mind that she wants me to attend Oak Hill.”
After Oak Hill, McLemore will head off to college, and he has a number of schools on his trail. Kansas, Missouri, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Illinois, Ohio State, Purdue, Oklahoma State, Nebraska, and Southern Illinois were the programs McLemore listed, claiming offers from all of them. He noted that other schools are involved in his recruitment as well.
While McLemore reports no favorites at this point, he does concede that Kansas has been his dream school growing up.
“I’m still trying to wait it out,” said McLemore when asked if he has a timetable. “I’ll probably make my decision and sign in November.”
What is McLemore looking for a school as he moves towards his decision time? “If the school is high-tempo, if they play like NBA players with NBA intensity, get up and down play defense. Having a crowd [that is big would] motivate me a lot,” McLemore said.
McLemore is being recruited to KU by Kurtis Townsend, and provided his thoughts on the program.
“I just came back from their elite camp. I played very well,” McLemore said. “The coaches like me. I talked to Coach [Bill] Self and he was excited for me to come, he really liked me. He really wants me to come to his school and feels I’m one of his favorites.”
On the topic of favorites, Kansas fits that label when it comes to the recruitment of Josiah Turner, a 6’2, 180-pound point guard from Sacramento (CA). Turner lists offers from Kansas, Wake Forest, Oklahoma, Florida, Arizona, Arizona State, and Oregon to go along with interest from Tennessee, Oregon State and others.
Turner said that Kansas, Wake Forest, Oklahoma, Florida, Arizona, and Oregon are “on me tough” and that those are the schools out in front for him. Of those, he lists Kansas and Wake Forest as his two prime favorites.
“Probably after the summer,” said Turner of when he plans to make his college choice. Location “is not gonna matter” to Turner when it comes to making his choice.
Turner, who is being recruited to Kansas by Kurtis Townsend, has tripped to KU in the past. “Just once, for Late Night [in the Phog],” Turner said.
“I like them. I know it’s in Lawrence. It’s cold out there, but the campus is cool,” Turner said of KU. “The coaches are cool, I like the coaches and the style of play. They are one of the primary . . . ones I’m gonna choose from for college.”
Like Turner, Jabari Parker also has Kansas as one of his top school choices. Parker, a 6’6 wing out of Simeon (IL), claims scholarship offers from Illinois, Purdue, Northwestern, Washington, BYU, Providence, Kentucky, Florida, and DePaul as well as interest from Duke and Kansas.
Merely a rising sophomore, Parker lists Illinois, Kansas, and Purdue as his favorites at this early stage of his recruitment.
“I wanna do it when the time is right,” said Parker on when he plans to commit. “I don’t wanna commit too early because I wanna give my teammates the opportunity to be get looked at by some of the schools recruiting me. So, I don’t wanna commit too early because that defeats the opportunity.”
On when location will be a factor in his decision, Parker remarked, “Location, it plays a factor because I want my parents to come and see me and I wanna go home sometimes. I get homesick.”
“I like Kansas because it has a very good tradition of history,” Parker said. “The student body is involved, a great crowd. [KU has] great coaches who will prepare you for the NBA and are great people. Bill Self I have known since fourth grade because he was at Illinois. Coach Townsed, he’s a great person. He grew up with my dad, so that plays a factor too.”
Parker has been to the Kansas campus one time, but it was a long while ago. “I’ve been to Kansas for a camp. They invited me when I was in fifth grade [and it was not an elite camp, but] . . . just a regular old camp,” he said.
Asked what his experience at the camp was like, Parker responded, “It was a great experience at the campus. It’s a nice campus with nice people, down to earth.”
It is evident that not only does Bill Self and Co. like 2011 stars Ben McLemore and Josiah Turner as well as elite 2013 prospect Jabari Parker, but that the trio like KU right back.
