KU basketball freshman Marcus Adams picks new school. It’s a college hoops powerhouse
After announcing his departure from the KU basketball program earlier this week, Marcus Adams Jr. has quickly found a new home.
The former incoming KU men’s basketball freshman told The Star on Saturday that he’d chosen Gonzaga as his transfer destination. He also shared the news on social media.
“A fresh start,” Adams tweeted on Saturday afternoon.
Adams opened up to The Star about why he picked the Bulldogs.
“I like how coach Mark Few reached out to me,” Adams told The Star. “It looked like a good fit for me. They said they needed me. I was (at the) right spot (as) a 3-and-D wing. They needed a guy that could shoot the rock, make plays and facilitate. I was that guy. They reached out and showed a lot of interest.
“I looked through it with my parents and my family. It was the best fit.”
The news brought an end to what was an eventful week for the former KU signee.
On Sunday, Adams requested out of his letter of intent to Kansas. By Tuesday, Adams told The Star he had entered the NCAA transfer portal due to the fact he was already enrolled in classes at Kansas.
Adams also told The Star he will have to use his one-time free transfer and obtain a waiver to play during the 2023-24 season.
Adams had emphasized to The Star he had entered the transfer portal because he never felt at home at KU.
“I felt like KU wasn’t the right place for me,” Adams told The Star on Tuesday. “I see everybody in the comments and some reporters saying it was about playing time … it’s not. I felt like I would have been good there if I stayed, but I had a gut and heart feeling. I felt like it wasn’t a place for me.
“The fans and all that showed me a lot of support during my time there, but I couldn’t see myself at Kansas for ... years. There are no hard feelings. I just couldn’t see myself there.”
Adams said he already feels the love from his Gonzaga teammates.
“I just posted it and the players are already reaching out,” Adams said. “That’s what I see as key. The players are welcoming, friendly and all that. So I really appreciate that. I feel like we are going to have a great connection and have a great season next year.”
In his final high school season, Adams averaged 28.8 points, 6.8 rebounds and 5.0 assists per game at Narbonne High in California.
Adams committed to KU in early March as part of the Jayhawks’ recruiting class of 2024 but later announced his plans to reclassify into the class of 2023.
Adams picked Gonzaga over a list of schools including TCU, BYU, Missouri, West Virginia, Virginia Tech, Wake Forest, USC and Oregon. He said he plans to head to Spokane “soon.”
Last season, the Bulldogs (31-6, 14-2 WCC conference record) won the West Coast Conference regular season title but lost to eventual national champion UConn 82-54 in the Elite Eight.
This story was originally published July 22, 2023 at 2:48 PM.
