Rayford Young, blue-chip recruit Trae’s father, relives 41-point game vs. KU on campus visit

— Kansas basketball coach Bill Self had a little surprise for Rayford Young, father of blue-chip high school prospect Trae Young, on the family’s official recruiting trip to KU over the weekend.

“The coolest thing was in our meeting Saturday, we sat in Coach’s office and watched a little film from ‘that game,’ ” Rayford Young, a former Texas Tech guard, said of his Red Raiders’ 90-84 victory over the Jayhawks on Feb. 13, 1999, in Lubbock, Texas.

That’s the game in which the 5-foot-11 Young scored 41 points, including 32 in the last 9 minutes. That 41-point outing is the eighth-highest total scored by a player in a game vs. KU.

“Trae was in on it. He knew they were going to show it. I saw Trae tap his mom on the leg and then the coaches set up the tape. I appreciate coach Self doing that. It was the TV broadcast with Jon Sundvold. It was fun watching it,” Rayford added in a Sunday night phone conversation with The Star.

It seems Trae Young, a 6-2 senior combo guard from Norman (Okla.) North High, who is ranked No. 14 in the recruiting Class of 2017 by Rivals.com, had as good or better time than his dad on the visit.

“The visit was great. It couldn’t have gone any better. It’s Kansas so what can you say?” Rayford Young said.

“I think what stood out was Trae’s relationship with other guys on the team. Devonté Graham was his host. He hung out with Malik Newman, and spent time with a lot of kids who would be there if he decided to go there. How they welcomed him with open arms was the biggest thing to me. We’ve been there (KU) a couple of times and seen the facilities, which are second to none. As far as all that, that’s impressive. The biggest thing was watching coach Self’s practice and how he runs practice.”

Rayford Young, who works in medical sales in Oklahoma, said his son enjoyed spending time in McCarthy Hall, the dorm for the KU players, which includes a basketball halfcourt.

“You have 24-hour access where he can get shots up. That’s good,” Rayford Young said.

Trae Young, who has visited KU, Oklahoma, Kentucky and Texas Tech, has not announced yet if he’ll take a fifth visit. It’s been speculated it’d be to Oklahoma State, though Washington also is on his list of six schools. The plan is to choose a college sometime this winter and sign in the spring.

“We’re going to be watching closely,” Rayford Young said of KU games. “We look forward to watching them play Indiana and Duke and see how things look. Of course Trae wants the best for Devonté Graham (KU junior guard). Hopefully Devonté will have a great year and he can leave and enter the draft. But the big thing is he (Trae) feels comfortable now no matter what — whether Devonté enters the draft or not — he feels comfortable (that he’d play). One thing coach Self stressed is he feels Trae is special and does some things a lot of point guards don’t do — shoot and spread the floor, pass and make others better.”

Gak enjoys visit, too

Deng Gak, a 6-9 senior forward from Blair Academy in Blairstown, N.J., also visited KU over the weekend. At this time he has a list of KU, Miami and Florida.

“My official visit was great,” Gak, who is ranked No. 91 by Rivals.com, told Jayhawkslant.com. “I loved the campus and loved the team. The thing that stood out is how much everyone loved and knew about basketball. Coach Self just told me his plan for me. I think that I am done taking visits, but I’m not 100 percent sure yet.”

KU to check on Gilgeous-Alexander

KU coaches are expected to watch an open gym of No. 53-ranked Shai Gilgeous-Alexander on Tuesday, according to Zagsblog.com.

Gilgeous-Alexander, a 6-4 senior guard from Hamilton Heights Christian High in Chattanooga, Tenn., recently decommitted from Florida. Kentucky coaches reportedly will watch him practice Monday.

This story was originally published October 23, 2016 at 8:39 PM with the headline "Rayford Young, blue-chip recruit Trae’s father, relives 41-point game vs. KU on campus visit."