Kansas basketball emerges as serious contender for Dylan Harper, Jalil Bethea
![Dylan Harper of Don Bosco comes down with the rebound in the first half as Don Bosco defeated St. Joseph 60-43 to win the semi final in the Bergen Jamboree played in Hackensack, NJ on February 11, 2023.Don Bosco Defeated St Joseph 60 43 To Win The Semi Final In The Bergen Jamboree Played In Hackensack Nj On February 11 2023 Dylan Harper of Don Bosco comes down with the rebound in the first half as Don Bosco defeated St. Joseph 60-43 to win the semi final in the Bergen Jamboree played in Hackensack, NJ on February 11, 2023.Don Bosco Defeated St Joseph 60 43 To Win The Semi Final In The Bergen Jamboree Played In Hackensack Nj On February 11 2023](https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/c_fill,w_720,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto/shape/cover/sport/b34c5414cb6bedee8a7c6c2d33722720552d2ff9dcca9650b602a633a1b1006e.jpg)
Kansas basketball has emerged as a surprise challenger in the race for high school prospects Jalil Bethea, Cooper Flagg, Dylan Harper, and more.
If you’ve ever doubted Kansas Jayhawks head coach Bill Self on the recruiting trail, we’d suggest that you don’t do that again. The Hall of Famer is pulling out all of his tricks to land yet another highly-rated player out of next year’s class.
He did so with 5-star center Flory Bidunga in August, pulling him away from supposed frontrunner Auburn at the last minute. It seems like something similar could be going down after anonymous college basketball insider ‘Trilly Donovan’ released this cryptic tweet about Coach Self.
But what is Trilly talking about exactly? Sources indicate that he is referring to Kansas basketball’s role in the recruitment of Jalil Bethea and/or Dylan Harper.
National recruiting analysts like Eric Bossi share the same sentiment. He revealed in a 247 Sports VIP article that Kansas is in the lead for Bethea, and he even sprinkled in a little bit of Cooper Flagg news. Bossi believes KU has a serious chance to land Flagg and that they are not far off from Duke.
Bethea, along with Liam McNeeley and Derik Queen, will be on campus for official visits to Kansas today. He is one of the most talented guards in his class and arguably the most pure scorer. He’d be the perfect addition to next year’s Kansas basketball team alongside Bidunga, a 6-foot-8 big man.
Meanwhile, Flagg is the consensus No. 1 prospect in 2024 and one of the most hyped-up high school products in the 21st century. A teammate of McNeeley and Queen at Montverde Academy, Flagg would arguably be the best recruiting pickup Coach Self would have ever pulled off. He will visit KU during Late Night in the Phog 2023.
READ: Kansas getting a visit from generational prospect
The mention of Harper should come as more of a surprise to the Jayhawk faithful. He has long been considered a lock to Rutgers or Duke, but Kansas seems to be in the mix for him now as well. The point guard from Don Bosco Prep is a top-5 player in his class and a versatile talent.
Harper has not scheduled a visit to Kansas yet, so it is safe to assume Bethea is a more likely candidate for the Jayhawks. However, either would instantly become one of KU’s most highly touted guard commits.
Kansas may receive a pledge from Bethea sometime in the month of September. This recruiting class is shaping up to be one for the ages, and Self’s dominance on the recruiting trail goes to show how hungry he is to bring another championship to Lawrence post-health scare.
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