RALEIGH, N.C. – When a player holds scholarships offers from Kansas and North Carolina before even finishing his sophomore year of high school it is a good sign that he is a big-time talent. Bronson Koenig, a 6-foot-2 class of 2013 point guard, is one of the few players in recent memory to fit the bill.
A star at La Crosse Aquinas (WI), Koenig was at the Bob Gibbons Tournament of Champions this past weekend playing with the Wisconsin Playground Warriors at both the U16 and U17 levels. While there, he took the time to speak with The Shiver about his interest level in the Kansas Jayhawks and his recruitment as a whole.
Koenig lists Wisconsin, North Carolina and Kansas as the three programs pursuing him the hardest at this point and he said none have a leg up in his recruitment.
“Right now I really like them all the same,” Koenig said, also noting that while other schools are recruiting him as well, there is only one other school he is truly interested in.
“Virginia, with Tony Bennett,” Koenig said. “I’m not really considering other schools, but I’m being recruited [by others].”
Location is not a major factor for Koenig, as he said, “I feel like I could adjust [to going away].” Nonetheless, there is a definite connection between the 2013 floor general and the Wisconsin Badgers.
“I just pretty much just feel comfortable there because I know some of the guys from Playground will be there,” Koenig said what he likes about the Big Ten program.
On what he likes about North Carolina, which has his favorite player in the NCAA in Harrison Barnes, Koenig said, “I guess just the program and the coaches recruiting me.”
Koenig was recently in Lawrence, Kan. and had a chance to meet with KU head coach Bill Self.
“We just went there for a tournament, Jayhawk Invitational, and after the tournament, me and my parents sat down with coach Self,” Koenig said, adding, “I just love how they play, pick and roll.”
Asked what he is looking for in a school, Koenig replied, “A program that can go to the NCAA Tournament, national championship, because I just like to win.”
Koenig went on to say that he envisions his college career including “Final Fours, national championships, stuff like that.”
The rising junior certainly has time until he needs to make a college choice, but already has an idea of when he will do so.
“Probably around this time next year,” Koenig said. “Maybe before the high school season [starts].”
Koenig lists North Carolina sophomore Harrison Barnes as his favorite college player. Steve Nash, Dwyane Wade and Devin Harris are among the NBA players he feels he plays like on the court.
“I just try to bring leadership and distribute the basketball and score when they need me to score,” Koenig said of how he plays the game.
Also a sharpshooter from beyond the arc, Koenig is being recruited to North Carolina as a player who can play either guard spot. In fact, UNC head coach Roy Williams showed Koenig some tape of Kirk Hinrich, a player he coached when at Kansas and who he compares Koenig to.
One thing that Koenig is trying to work on is dealing with all of the attention he has been getting off of the court.
“I’m not very good at it, but I’m trying to get better,” Koenig said of how he is managing all of that attention.
If Bronson Koenig can learn to handle the attention the way he handles a basketball, he should be just fine.
