Michael Porter to Washington?
By Ryan Noel
Michael Porter Sr., father of top Kansas 2017 wing target Michael Porter Jr., has accepted a position on the staff of Washington head coach Lorenzo Romar.
This news will come as a pretty big blow to the Kansas basketball staff, as Michael Porter Jr. was their #1 priority in 2017. This move doesn’t come as a huge surprise to most, mainly because of the close bond between Romar and Porter Sr. Romar is the godfather to Porter Jr. Romar also has a commitment from Jontay Porter, Michael’s younger brother and an elite 2018 forward prospect. The Porters also have younger brothers who are going to be high level recruits down the road.
So, this news will leave the Kansas staff in a bit of a lurch. They’ve invested a lot of time in recruiting Porter and now they’ll have to pivot and adjust priorities. Luckily this news comes before the second major open recruiting season in July, giving the staff plenty of time to get in front of kids and evaluate them further.
Let’s take a look at a few guys that Kansas is probably going to track a lot closer over the next few months.
Jarred Vanderbilt
The Houston wing will probably be the highest-ranked player on this watchlist, coming in at #9 overall in the Top247 Composite. Vanderbilt plays for the Houston Hoops in the Nike EYBL circuit, so the staff is already plenty familiar with his play from the past two AAU seasons.
Vanderbilt is a big, strong wing that could legitimately see time as a 4 in the Kansas system. A true power wing, his calling card is vicious attacks on the rim both in transition and in the halfcourt. Vanderbilt has a great first step, especially so given his size and athleticism, and once he gets his shoulders past a defender he can rarely be stopped.
What makes Vanderbilt an elite prospect, though, is his versatility. On defense, he can defend any number of positions thanks to his instincts, quickness, and size. He is a bully of a defender that isn’t afraid of guarding small guards or bigger forwards.
Can Kansas land Vanderbilt?
Probably not, but they’re going to at least do some due diligence and try to see where that goes. The feeling around Vanderbilt’s recruitment has been that he is Kentucky’s to lose, and it might be a bit too late now for Kansas to win that one.
Related Story: Kansas Wing Targets in 2017
Brandon Randolph
Randolph is a sharp-shooting wing from the loaded PSA Cardinals program, the same program that produced Cheick Diallo.
While he spent much of last year battling injury, Randolph has taken no time making his move into the upper echelon of 2017 recruits with his play this spring. He is an elite shooter and has great size for the wing at 6’6″. His athleticism and all-around play take him from being just a shooter to being an elite overall prospect in the class, much like 2016 McDonald’s All-American Terrance Ferguson.
Can Kansas land Randolph?
This one looks a bit more favorable to Kansas, as Randolph’s recruitment is just blowing up this year. Because he was out with a leg injury for most of 2015, he’s just now making his name on the national scene and is receiving a lot of fresh attention from high major schools. As long as the relationship between the Kansas staff and the PSA Cardinals isn’t too bad after the Cheick Diallo saga, Kansas should be a strong candidate for Randolph’s services.
Troy Brown, Jr.
We previously wrote about Brown in our point guards article, but it seems like we should probably bring him up here too.
With Kansas not looking in great position for any other elite small forwards right now, Brown could be a potentially good fit alongside a 2017 point guard recruit like Trae Young. Brown’s size – he’s 6’6″ – and ability to play the point would be attractive to Coach Self and the Kansas staff. With Kansas’ multi-faceted use of wings and guards, on defense and offense, Brown’s versatility could be a good fit. His lack of shooting is a concern, though pairing him with a guard like Young, who has unlimited range, mitigates those issues to a degree.
Brown has strong connections to Kansas through his sister, who is on the women’s team, and Kansas has been involved in his recruitment for a long time.
Can Kansas land Brown?
Yes, although it’s not totally clear yet just how much Kansas wants him. There was a sense last summer that many of the big name schools had cooled on Brown due to his perceived lack of development. With Michael Porter seemingly off the table, though, it wouldn’t be a surprise for Kansas to go in a bit harder after a versatile, tall guard like Brown.
Marcus Garrett
In the same vein as Brown above, Marcus Garrett becomes a much more viable option in this class for Kansas. At 6’5″, Garrett is a legitimate point guard and his stock is soaring this spring.
Garrett is a lengthy athlete with a very good feel for the game. He’s not a good shooter yet, but his passing is good and his vision is even better. He’s also an elite defensive prospect on the perimeter, and would give Kansas plenty of versatility on the perimeter.
He would have to improve his shooting – he shoots a set shot now that needs mechanical work. There is a small bit of concern that he hasn’t (and won’t) play any high level AAU competition this spring, which could limit the staff’s viewings of him.
Related Story: 2017 Point Guard Targets
Can Kansas land Marcus Garrett?
Absolutely, if they really focus on getting him. They have offered already, and the original feeling was that they wanted to see what Trae Young was going to do before going after him harder.