Kansas Basketball: 2017 Big Man Targets

Deandre Ayton – Center – Cal Supreme Elite

Ayton likely needs very little introduction to Jayhawks fans, as much has been written about him over the past few weeks. His “lack” of recruitment from anyone but Kansas has been a hot topic on Twitter and elsewhere, raising red flags for some. And while there are red flags – most notably his team “Hillcrest Prep”, which despite the name isn’t actually a school – there is still a sense behind the scenes that Ayton can get eligible for college.

While Kansas showed strong early for Ayton, other schools backed off in fear that Ayton might never even attend college. Ayton, who is now taking classes through Arizona Connections Academy after Hillcrest severed their affiliation with Starshine Academy, has repeatedly said he’ll attend college next year.

And if he does attend college, we’ll get to see one of the truly elite prospects in the past few years. Standing a full 7’0″ with a chiseled frame, Ayton is an athletic forward\center that can do nearly anything on the court. He is a good shooter out to 3pt range and shows good instincts for passing from the high post. His defensive tools are exceptional – great length, very quick off the floor, exceptional agility – but his timing and awareness on that end haven’t quite caught up to the rest of his game just yet. He has shown some flashes of post game recently – and does have good touch around the rim – but he doesn’t yet have an array of moves to score down low.

Tier 1

Obviously, Ayton is in the top tier for Kansas. They want him badly and they’ve done a good job at sticking with him through some of the issues that other schools have backed off from. Kansas also gives him what would likely be the best fit for his game, as he’s the ideal big man for Self’s high-low system. His shooting and passing potential would be drool-inducing alongside current 2016 signee Udoka Azubuike.

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