Yes, this year’s basketball season has not yet begun. And yes, Bill Self and Kansas Basketball have already landed a couple of promising players for the next year. ESPN ranks both David McCormack and Silvio De Sousa in the top 40.
David McCormack and Silvio De Sousa are welcome additions to a tradition of strong post players at KU. Standing 6-foot 10 and listed as a center, McCormack, who attending Saturday’s Late Night in the Phog, is ranked number 4 at his position. He choose KU over a host of offers including those from UCLA and Duke.
As a matter of fact, Udoka will probably leave for the NBA at the end of this season. If that happens, McCormack will have an essential role in securing KU’s defensive post. His 255 pound frame will surely assist him.
Moreover, if he succeeds in developing an efficient offensive game, he can be that much more effective. Given his potential, it is not surprising that so many elite programs recruited him, including conference rivals Baylor and Oklahoma State.
Of course, Hall of Fame coach Bill Self must have been a big part of his decision to come to KU, but Matt Tait writes that Assistant Coach Jerrance Howard was a key reason McCormack will wear the Jayhawk blue next season.
Another key signee for the 2018-19 season has the Jayhawks excited.
Alongside McCormack would be another up and coming player in Silvio De Sousa. The number 10 power forward in the class of 2018 stands 6 8″ tall and weighs an imposing 240 pounds. A native of Angola, he chose KU over Florida, Maryland and others.
It certainly left the Terps surprised. De Sousa visited KU and instantly fell in love with the place and the culture. Speaking to the Lawrence Journal-World, he said:
"When I was there in Kansas, I couldn’t even express myself or how I was feeling. When you love something, there’s no way you will describe it. I knew about their basketball but I didn’t know about the campus, the coaches and stuff like that. I felt like that was the place I wanted to be,"
I know Bill Self and the Jayhawk nation look forward to seeing him in action. Both McCormack and De Sousa will get their chance to add to the proud Jayhawk tradition and make some history. We have an exciting and potentially historic season before either of them become Jayhawks. But at the same time, we already have something to look forward to in 2018-19.