Kansas Jayhawks: Basketball Recruiting Index

Billy Preston – Houston Hoops – Nike EYBL

#11 Overall, #5 Power Forward

Preston is one of the more polarizing players I’ve spoken with people about over the past year. There are some that think he’s a Top 5 player in the class, and others that wouldn’t put him in their Top 10. They all agree, though, that his attitude and playstyle are issues. They also all agree that regardless of ranking, he is one of the top pure talents in the class.

What’s his game like?

Preston is a forward that is most comfortable facing the basket. He is a very good ballhandler for his size (6’9″) and can function as a wing because of his athleticism and skill level. His shooting is good too, although it suffers quite a bit from his erratic play and shot selection. Preston struggles to play within a team concept and can be a bit of a lone wolf. There’s no questioning his NBA-level talent – at his size, he’s the ideal modern forward that can handle, pass, and shoot. Unfortunately, he all too often only focuses on two of those three things.

Rumor Central

Despite what a few other sites seem to be saying, Kansas is not really involved here any longer. There’s virtually no chance that Preston can get eligible for NCAA basketball, even with his last-ditch effort to save his academics by transferring to Oak Hill. I fully expect Preston to end up going the same way as Terrance Ferguson – he will commit somewhere (likely USC) and eventually opt to head overseas.

Regardless, it’s pretty safe for Kansas fans to tune out this recruitment.

Next: Cody Riley