No. 1-ranked player in recruiting class of 2019 includes KU on list of eight

Vernon Carey, the No. 1-ranked high school player in the recruiting class of 2019, has included Kansas on his list of eight schools, he reported Monday night on Twitter.

Carey, a 6-foot-9, 230-pound junior forward from University High School in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., narrowed his choices to KU, Michigan State, Miami (Fla.), Florida, Duke, Kentucky, UCLA and North Carolina.

“I just feel like I have a good relationship with all their coaching staffs. I am probably talking to Duke, Michigan State and Miami the most,” Carey told Rivals.com.

He has made several unofficial visits to Miami. He has also been to Michigan State. Carey told Rivals.com he will make unofficial visits to Florida, North Carolina and Duke before the end of the calendar year.

“Carey has cemented his standing as one of the nation’s elite prospects,” writes Corey Evans of Rivals.com of the player with a 7-foot-1 wingspan. “He’s a 6-foot-9 lefty that can extend the defense with the perimeter jumper, make the timely pass to the open teammate, finish through contact and rebound his area. Look for each of his eight finalists to make strong pushes, although Duke, Michigan State and Miami — the latter a program where his father played college football — are the likeliest landing spots whenever he does decide to commit.”

Mandatory conference call held

ESPN’s Jeff Goodman reported Monday on Twitter that the NABC held a mandatory conference call on Monday for all member coaches. KU coach Bill Self, the president of the NABC, declined to comment, explaining to The Star the call was for coaches, not media.

“Basically just saying we have to be better ambassadors to the game,” one coach told Goodman about the message in the 30-minute meeting.

“Change is coming but they didn’t say what the change is,” another coach told Goodman.

More hurricane relief games set

ESPN’s Goodman has reported that some teams are following the lead of KU and Missouri, as well as Kansas State and Missouri State, and scheduling exhibition games for hurricane relief.

Upcoming matchups will include Marquette vs. Milwaukee on Marquette’s campus, Holy Cross at Notre Dame and Georgia State at Georgia Tech.

Healthy Mason may start for Kings

Former KU standout Frank Mason might be the only Sacramento Kings point guard completely healthy for Wednesday’s NBA season-opener against Houston.

Veteran George Hill (groin strain) and fellow rookie De’Aaron Fox (lower back bruise) have suffered from minor injuries during the preseason — one in which the 5-foot-11 Mason averaged 11.6 points, 3.6 rebounds, 2.4 assists and 21.4 minutes in five games. Mason hit 48.8 percent of his shots, including 41.7 percent of his threes.

“I’ve been playing ball since fourth, fifth grade. I’m comfortable,” Mason told the Sacramento Bee after scoring 10 points and dishing out three assists in a 117-106 road loss to Golden State on Friday.

Mason, last season’s college basketball player of the year and second-round pick of the Kings, started Friday’s game and one other contest in the preseason.

“Me and De’Aaron are still learning,” Mason told the Bee. “George is doing a good job of giving us tips on what to do and not to do. We are taking those things, trying to put them into practice every day and carry them into the game.”

Mason is currently considered the team’s third point guard when everybody is healthy.

“I’ve enjoyed coaching (Mason),” Kings coach Dave Joerger told the Bee. “He’s going to make some mistakes but he’s also going to keep getting better and better.

“He’ll go out and you know what you’ll get from him is a guy who’ll compete his tail off and can make some shots, try to get up and guard you,” Joerger added. “(He’s a) pretty tough dude and not afraid of taking shots at the end of the clock and certainly at the end of games.”

Robinson off to solid start in Russia

Former KU power forward Thomas Robinson has had a productive first two games for Khimki Moscow of the VTB United League and EuroLeague.

Robinson, who played for six NBA teams in five seasons before heading to Russia on a one-year deal for 2017-18, scored 17 points and grabbed six rebounds in Sunday’s 106-96 road victory over Parma. In his debut last week, he scored 16 points with six rebounds in a 75-70 home win over Valencia.

“It’s important. As I mentioned in previous interviews, I wanted to come here to win,” the 26-year-old Robinson said on his team’s website after his opening game in Russia. “So to get started with a W, it’s definitely a great start for me, for my teammates and for these fans. I expect myself and my team not to let up, to play hard every night, and to bring it all home.”

Robinson, who left KU after his junior season, was the No. 5 pick in the 2012 NBA Draft. He played for the Lakers last season.

This story was originally published October 16, 2017 at 9:07 PM with the headline "No. 1-ranked player in recruiting class of 2019 includes KU on list of eight."