Elite basketball recruit will announce college choice Tuesday. KU Jayhawks on his list
Marquise “MJ” Rice, a 6-foot-5, 225-pound senior small forward from Prolific Prep in Napa, California, who made an official men’s basketball recruiting visit to Kansas on June 22-23, will announce his college choice on Tuesday, he reported on Twitter.
Rice, the No. 15-ranked player in the recruiting Class of 2022 according to ESPN.com and No. 28 by Rivals.com, has also made official visits to Oklahoma State and Pitt. He’s also heard from coaches from Duke, North Carolina State, Louisville, North Carolina, Mississippi, Virginia Tech and others.
He has not put out an official list of finalists.
“GOD 1st always! What’s up everyone! This has been a long journey for me and my family. I will be announcing my college decision on Tuesday, August 10 @JasonJordanSI and @SInow. Stay tuned! Follow me!” Rice wrote Sunday on Twitter.
In the past, he mentioned the possibility of skipping college and heading straight to the NBA G League, but it now appears he’s decided to attend college at least one season.
Rice, a native of Durham, North Carolina, started his high school career at Durham Academy, then moved to Oak Hill Academy in Mouth of Wilson, Virginia in 2020-21 before heading to Prolific Prep for this, his final season of high school basketball.
He played for Team Loaded AAU this summer.
“Rice is as tough as high school prospects come and seems to thrive on contact. He routinely finishes with defenders draped all over him and has a knack for getting to the line,” wrote Rob Cassidy of Rivals.com. “Rice, who has a knack for putting his matchups on the bench with foul trouble, is built like a brick wall and retains an incredibly quick first step for his size.”
Marshall Scott of pistolsfiringblog.com wrote: “Rice is built like someone who likes to attack downhill, but that’s only a small part of his game. He is a three-level scorer with a smooth jumper from deep, something he has showed a lot this summer with Team Loaded, an AAU squad based out of his native North Carolina.”
Rice told SI.com’s Jason Jordan that he enjoyed his recent visit to KU.
“Everyone really buys in there,” Rice said., adding that he felt a special “vibe” within the KU program. “They work really hard, but they all really like each other too. I just liked the program overall. The fans there are great, and the coaches really showed me how much they want me there. These visits are the best way to get a feel for the schools, but they make it tough too.”
KU makes Shaedon Sharpe’s list of four
Shaedon Sharpe, a 6-4, 180-pound senior shooting guard from Dream City Christian High School in Glendale, Arizona, who is ranked No. 11 in the recruiting Class of 2022 by Rivals.com, on Sunday narrowed his list of colleges to four. They are: KU, Kentucky, Oklahoma State and Arizona. He also is considering signing a G League contract and skipping college.
Sharpe told ESPN.com he will take official visits to KU (at end of August), plus Arizona and Oklahoma State before selecting a college.
“Sharpe made a strong case for consideration as the best long-term prospect in high school basketball,” wrote Jonathan Givony of ESPN.com. “Sharpe had an outstanding spring and summer, showcasing his diverse shot-making ability and explosiveness.
“Almost a complete unknown a year ago, either unranked or on the fringes of the top 100 of most recruiting services, the Canadian-born Sharpe averaged 22.6 points, 5.8 rebounds and 2.7 assists in 28 minutes over 12 games at the EYBL, leading the event in points scored and finishing in the top five in three-pointers made. Always noted for his NBA prototype frame and highlight-reel-caliber dunks and blocks, Sharpe ramped up his aggressiveness substantially the past few months, while showing significant improvement as a passer, creator and shooter in the halfcourt,” Givony added.
Vincent Iwuchukwu trims list to KU, four others
Vincent Iwuchukwu, a 7-foot, 220-pound senior center from Montverde Academy in Florida, who is ranked No. 22 in the recruiting Class of 2022 according to ESPN.com and No. 29 by Rivals.com, has trimmed his list of schools to five.
They are: Kansas, Baylor, Texas, USC and UCLA. He made the announcement in a Twitter post of Tipton Edits.
Iwuchukwu, who is originally from San Antonio, Texas, transferred from La Lumiere in La Porte, Indiana to Montverde Academy for his senior season.
Last year at La Lumiere he averaged 15.0 points, 11.0 rebounds and 2.4 blocks a game. At the Pangos All-America camp, he averaged 22.0 points a game on 58% shooting. He averaged 9.8 rebounds, 2.3 assists, and 1.3 blocks a game.
KU, five others on Nick Smith’s list
Nick Smith, a 6-2, 175-pound senior point guard from Sylvan Hills High School in Sherwood, Arkansas, who has visited Kansas, has narrowed his list of schools to six.
They are: KU, Kentucky, Oklahoma, Alabama, Arkansas and Auburn. He also is considering playing in either the Australian NBL or the Overtime Elite pro league.
Smith, the No. 39-ranked player in the recruiting Class of 2022 according to Rivals.com, has set a decision date for Nov. 20. The Brad Beal Elite AAU player still has scheduled visits to Arkansas (Sept. 12) and Oklahoma (Sept. 18) scheduled.
Keyonte George picks Baylor
Keyonte George, a 6-5, 190-pound senior shooting guard from iSchool Entrepreneurial Academy in Lewisville, Texas, on Sunday committed to Baylor over KU, Texas, Oklahoma State and Kentucky. He is ranked No. 4 in the recruiting Class of 2022 by ESPN.com and No. 5 by Rivals.com.
“With the ball in his hands, George has smooth and clever movements to get by defenders with bounce, leverage and strength to score in the paint and finish at the rim. He has an efficient middle game and knows when to use it,” wrote Jeff Borzello and Paul Biancardi of ESPN.com.
“When defenders back up, he pulls up with balance, poise and elevation to knock down jumpers outside the paint and inside the arc. His three-point shot has excellent range and accuracy. Because of his shot-making ability and triple-threat body position, he can shot-fake and jab-step to get past defenders. What makes George hard to guard is he scores with a live dribble but also cuts off screens without the ball to an open pocket of space. He shows poise when opponents look to take the ball out of his hands. His defensive game needs attention, both on and off the ball, to be an elite two-way player at Baylor. With Baylor’s history of guard development and on-court success and George’s work habits, he is heading down the path of being an impact player for Scott Drew and a potential lottery pick,” Borzello and Biancardi added.
This story was originally published August 9, 2021 at 11:44 AM.
