KU basketball lands transfer commitment from Zeke Mayo, Summit League player of year
Former Lawrence High basketball standout Zeke Mayo, who averaged 18.8 points a game this past season and 18.2 ppg during the 2022-23 campaign at South Dakota State, has announced plans to transfer to Kansas.
Mayo, a 6-foot-4, 185-pound junior combo guard and reigning Summit League Player of the Year, revealed his choice after Tuesday’s unofficial visit to KU. He made the announcement on social media site X.
“A homecoming like no other. Lawrence, KS, let’s rock #committed,” Mayo wrote on X.
He chose the Jayhawks over Creighton, Oklahoma and Texas. Last Tuesday, Mayo announced plans to enter his name in both the 2024 NBA Draft as well as the NCAA transfer portal. He had planned on making an official visit to Oklahoma on April 13.
A lifelong KU fan, Mayo told The Star his commitment is “a dream come true.”
“Honestly I’ve got one more year left. I’ve got to hit a home run if I want to make it where I want to go,” Mayo told The Star moments after posting his commitment on X. “Kansas is a very successful program with Bill Self at the helm. The timing felt right to me. I get to stay home and play in front of my family and friends. It’s always been a dream come true. It felt like the right time.”
Mayo said his unofficial visit to KU on Tuesday “was incredible. I got to tour the facilities, do a photo shoot. Putting that jersey on ... it felt like home.”
He spoke with KU coach Self about his upcoming role at KU.
“He told me he wanted me to come in and be the good player I’ve proven to be the last couple years,” Mayo said. “He knows what I am capable of. I trust him to run the offense the way he likes to run it and not force anything.”
At KU, Mayo will be reunited with two of his good friends, Devin Neal and Cole Mondi of KU’s football team. All three are graduates of Lawrence High.
“That’s my childhood friend. We grew up together,” Mayo said of he and Neal, one of the top running backs in the country. “He understood I had to make my own decision. He and also Cole ... for all three of us to play a part in KU athletics, the success they are having as well, they just as much want me to succeed.”
Yes, Mayo and his Lawrence buddies followed KU during their grade and high school years.
“Of course I had the jerseys and all that stuff. I watched the games with my family and friends,” Mayo said.
Mayo, by the way, at this time plans on testing the NBA Draft waters. Plans could change, though, as he said he will study the pros and cons of entering his name in the draft in the next couple weeks.
“I am going to discuss my options for that with my family and my coaches. Right now the plan is to go through (process),” he said.
Mayo hit 46.6% of his shots this past season and 42.6% from the field in 2022-23. He went 92 of 235 on 3-pointers this past season for 39.1%. He dished 123 assists to 40 turnovers while averaging 5.7 rebounds and 3.5 assists per game in his just-completed junior campaign.
Mayo scored 19 points on 5-of-11 shooting (4 of 6 from 3 and 5 of 5 from line) and dished four assists in an 82-65 first-round NCAA Tournament loss to Iowa State in Omaha, Nebraska. Earlier, in the finals of the Summit League tournament, he had 16 points and six rebounds in an 86-68 title game victory over Denver.
“There was speculation that the Lawrence, Kansas native would enter the transfer portal last season, but he stayed another year and led the Jackrabbits to the Summit League title and their seventh NCAA Tournament appearance,” wrote Jonathan Fernandez of the Sioux Falls Argus Leader.
Mayo, who graduated from Lawrence High in May of 2021, was co-recipient of the 2021 DiRenna Award which recognizes the top boys’ basketball player in the Kansas City area. He shared the award with Mark Mitchell of Bishop Miege.
Mayo is the second transfer to have committed to KU for the 2024-25 season. KU has landed former Florida guard Riley Kugel.
KU also has commitments from incoming freshmen Flory Bidunga, Rakease Passmore and Labaron Philon. Two members of the 2023-24 team have indicated they will return for the 2024-25 season. They are seniors Dajuan Harris and KJ Adams.
This story was originally published April 2, 2024 at 6:15 PM.
