The future of the Kansas basketball program got a little brighter today following the commitment from 2024 four-star point guard Labaron Philon.
Philon, a 6-foot-4 guard from Branson, Missouri, chose the Jayhawks over Alabama, Ole Miss, and Cincinnati after previously being committed to Bruce Pearl and the Auburn Tigers.
Philon is a consensus top-4o recruit in the 2024 class according to all the major recruiting sites, and his commitment gives Bill Self a big boost to an already impressive start after the Jayhawks landed five-star center Flory Bidunga last month.
Self also remains in pursuit of some of the top players in the country, including small forward Liam McNeeley, shooting guard Tre Johnson, and the country’s No. 1 player – small forward Cooper Flagg.
If he lands any of the three (or more), the Jayhawks will undoubtedly have a top-five class in the country and one that will be much needed to replenish this roster next season.
The Jayhawks are likely to lose at least four impactful players after this season in Kevin McCullar Jr., Hunter Dickinson, Parker Braun, and Nicolas Timberlake. They could lose even more depending on how well freshmen Elmarko Jackson and Johnny Furphy play. And who knows what the future holds for Arterio Morris given his recent off-the-court situation.
Add in the possibility of other players transferring and you can see why the 2024 class is so important.
Self has been on fire on the recruiting trail as of late, and Philon’s commitment is yet another example of that. If he can continue that hot streak and land a couple of his other top targets, we could be looking at one of the best high school recruiting classes in the Self era.