KU recruit Zeke Nnaji completes UCLA visit: ‘It is one of the biggest markets’
Zeke Nnaji, a 6-foot-11 senior power forward from Hopkins (Minn.) High School, who is ranked No. 37 in the recruiting Class of 2019 by Rivals.com, visited UCLA last weekend after making trips to Arizona and Kansas in previous weeks.
Nnaji will visit Baylor next weekend, then Purdue on Nov. 2-4. His dad, Apham, told Zagsblog.com the plan is to select a school around Nov. 24.
“It was a great experience as we got to watch practice and a closed scrimmage with Pepperdine on Saturday,” Apham Nnaji told Zagsblog.com. “Again, like the other schools it was not hard to see why his skill sets are needed. He also met with Russ (Westbrook) who was working out with his team (Oklahoma City Thunder in town to play the LA Clippers). It is one of the biggest markets and they say will be a good fit for Zeke,” Apham Nnaji added.
Several other KU targets made recruiting trips over the weekend.
James Wiseman, the No. 2 prospect in the Class of 2019 according to Rivals.com, made an official visit to Florida State. Wiseman, a 7-foot senior from Memphis East High School, will visit Memphis next weekend. He’s already made trips to KU, Kentucky and Vanderbilt.
No. 3-rated Cole Anthony, a 6-2 senior point guard from Oak Hill Academy in Mouth of Wilson, Va., visited Oregon. Anthony also has visited North Carolina and Notre Dame. He has not released a final list, but has mentioned KU as a possibility.
Chandler Lawson, the brother of KU’s Dedric and K.J. Lawson, also visited Oregon last weekend. Lawson, a 6-8 senior teammate of Anthony at Oak Hill Academy, is ranked No. 87 in the Class of 2019 by Rivals.com. He’s considering KU, Memphis, Georgia Tech, Mississippi and others.
N’Faly Dante, a 6-10 junior from Sunrise Academy in Bel Aire, Kan., visited LSU after making a trip to Oregon on Oct. 12-14. Dante — he is ranked No. 7 in the Class of 2020 by Rivals.com — has KU on his early list of schools.
Cockburn to visit UConn
Kofi Cockburn, a 6-11 senior center from Oak Hill Academy in Mouth of Wilson, Va., who is ranked No. 30 in the Class of 2019 by Rivals.com, will take an official visit to UConn next weekend according to Zagsblog.com. It will be his first campus visit of the school year.
Cockburn is considering KU, UConn, Florida State, Illinois, LSU, Pitt, St. John’s and Syracuse. He averaged 16.3 points and 10.3 rebounds in 20 games on the Nike EYBL circuit last spring and summer.
Cunningham nets several offers
Cade Cunningham, a 6-7 junior forward from Florida’s Montverde Academy, has received scholarship offers from KU, Duke, Kentucky, Texas, Virginia, Michigan, Florida, Texas Tech, Texas A&M, UCLA and others according to Rivals.com.
Originally from Texas, he is ranked No. 12 in the Class of 2020 by Rivals.com.
“I’m looking for a team that needs a wing, where I can come in right away and make a difference,” Cunningham told Rivals.com. “The relationship with the coaching staff is important, but it’s not the most important thing since there are coaching changes. I really like schools that have a history of defense and work hard on both ends. Obviously, a good fan base is important and just a place that my family likes, too, and feels comfortable with.”
Cunningham’s older brother played basketball at SMU and his dad was a quarterback at Texas Tech.
KU offers sophomore Foster
Michael Foster, a 6-9 sophomore forward from Washington High School in Milwaukee, has received a scholarship offer from KU, according to 247sports.com.
Foster — he is ranked No. 3 in the recruiting Class of 2021 — recently decommitted from Arizona State. He’s considering KU, Marquette, Wake Forest, UCLA, Wisconsin, Arizona State and others.
“Mike just wanted to go through his recruitment fully and feel like a kid,” Chianti Clay, Foster’s Milwaukee Spartans AAU coach, told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. “He wants to enjoy the process while Arizona State and the Pac-12 remains high on his list.”
Embiid in the news
Former KU center Joel Embiid of the Philadelphia 76ers continues to keep both sports writers and celebrity-watchers busy early in his NBA career. The 24-year-old, fourth-year pro, who once on social media publicly professed his desire for a date with nine-time Grammy winner Rihanna, was pictured kissing Brazilian model Anne de Paula after scoring 32 points in Saturday night’s 116-115 home victory over Orlando.
It was Sixers owner Michael Rubin who posted the photo on Instagram, presumably joking when he offered Embiid “congrats on your engagement!!!!” The Sun, a celebrity Website in England, reports that Embiid and de Paula indeed are dating.
Embiid recently signed a five-year deal with Under Armour. Terms were not disclosed, but it has been speculated he will receive the most money ever given a big man in a shoe deal.
“There’s a stereotype about big men that can’t sell shoes. When I look at myself, I’m not a big man. I’m a guard,” Embiid, who is averaging 28.3 points and 10.7 rebounds a game in three games (two victories), told ESPN. “I can do everything on the basketball court. You can name it — pass, post up, shoot the ball, bring the ball up, being a playmaker — so I’m excited to break that stereotype. I can’t wait to do so much more with Under Armour.”
Morris changes name
Former KU forward Marcus Morris has changed his name on the back of his Boston Celtics jersey for the 2018-19 season. The 29-year-old, eight-year NBA veteran now has “Morris Sr.” stitched above No. 13. His girlfriend, Amber Soulds, gave birth to Marcus Thomas Morris Jr., on July 20 as reported by the Boston Herald.
“My son’s a junior, and it made me want to put a senior on the back of my jersey,” Marcus Morris Sr., told the Herald. “It’s my first child. Just reflecting back on my childhood, I never had a father. In that sense this meant a lot to me.”
He added: “Being someone’s father is different — someone who’s going to count on you and always look up to you. As far as basketball and work ethic, I’m going five times harder to do everything. I need to take care of my family for the rest of my life. This year is a big opportunity for me, coming up on my contract year, make sure my family is stable.
“Now I’m having a contract year for somebody. I can take care of his kids, and his kids — let the Morris name go on.”
Morris is making $5,375,000 this season in the final year of his contract (4 years, $20 million).
Marcus, by the way, is seven minutes younger than his brother, Markieff, who wears jersey No. 5 for the Washington Wizards. Former KU forward Markieff and his wife, Thereza, have one daughter, Jyzelle. Markieff Morris makes $8,600,000 this season. He’s in the final year of a 4-year, $32 million deal.
Gary Bedore
Gary Bedore covers University of Kansas athletics for The Star.
