KU Jayhawks men’s basketball offers scholarship to 6-10 Florida high school senior
Ernest Udeh Jr., a 6-foot-10, 235-pound senior center from Dr. Phillips High School in Orlando, Florida, has been offered a scholarship by Kansas men’s basketball coach Bill Self, Udeh announced Sunday night on Twitter.
Udeh — ranked No. 115 in the recruiting Class of 2022 by Rivals.com — told Jayhawkslant.com he has heard from coaches from KU, Cleveland State, Florida, Florida Atlantic, Florida Gulf Coast, Miami, Mississippi, Seton Hall, South Florida, Stetson, Temple, Harvard, Murray State, Princeton, Virginia Tech, Western Kentucky, and others.
“Extremely blessed to receive an offer from Kansas University,” Udeh wrote on Twitter.
“It’s really a blessing, because everyone knows they are a big-time school and for me to be getting that kind of recognition is really an honor,” Udeh noted to Jayhawkslant.com on Sunday.
Dr. Phillips High School coach Ben Witherspoon told Bullsinsider.com: “There aren’t many kids like Ernest. He’s a great student, works extremely hard, is very coachable, and is a great, unselfish teammate. On the floor, he’s a fluid athlete with great hands and feet and has put a lot of muscle mass on in the last year. Ernest is a high motor kid and an elite shot blocker/defender and rebounder right now. He’ll be extremely valuable at the next level because of his rim protection and ability to switch and guard the ball in ball screens. He is working really hard right now to add onto his offensive skill set and has an incredibly high ceiling.”
Udeh told The Star recently that his mother “was born in Nigeria, but moved to Florida and had me..” He added: “I haven’t set up a visit with KU but I’ve been in contact with coach Norm Roberts.”
Essandoko now being recruited by KU
Christ Essandoko, a 7-foot, 265-pound senior center from Winston-Salem (North Carolina) Christian High School, told The Star in a direct Twitter message Sunday night he is being recruited by KU.
According to 247sports.com, Essandoko, who is originally from France, is being recruited by KU, Maryland, USC, Miami, Ohio State, Wake Forest, Virginia Tech and others. He is not ranked at this time by Rivals.com.
“I would say I’m a skilled big. I’m able to put the ball on the floor, pass and shoot. I have good footwork that I use in the post and I would say I’m a smart player. I can step out in ball screen and I can block or alter shots by the rim,” he told 247sports.com
No. 90-ranked Reed visits MSU
Tarris Reed, a 6-8, 220-pound senior forward from Chaminade High School in St. Louis, who is ranked No. 90 in the recruiting Class of 2022 according to Rivals.com, reportedly visited Michigan State last week, Stockrisers.com reported. He has set up an upcoming visit to Purdue and also is considering KU, Missouri, Illinois, St. Louis, Michigan, Ohio State, Iowa, Kentucky and others.
Reed, who plays for Mokan Elite AAU, has not yet set up a visit to KU or MU.
“Of Reed, Jamie Shaw of Rivals.com wrote: “Reed is a big-bodied post player who has great hands and soft touch. Playing at the CP3 Memorial Day Classic, he showed the ability to score with his back to the basket, play out of the mid and high posts, and play as a pick and pop or trail big. He is a good area rebounder and as he continues to tighten up his body, he will only continue to produce more. Is one who could outplay his current ranking over the next 12 months.”
