Jayhawks Forward Kevin Young Chose Kansas Over San Diego State

KU fans have been waiting for some time to see how the last couple of scholarships for next season will play out given the number of players leaving the Jayhawks from a successful 2010-11 season. Bill Self had a loaded squad last year with three probable first round draft selections — Markieff Morris, Marcus Morris, Josh Selby — and plenty of senior leadership in Brady Morningstar, Tyrel Reed and Mario Little. Suffice to say, there’s space to fill.

Enter Kevin Young, the surprise transfer from Loyola Marymount who had originally committed to San Diego State only to upend those expectations with his signing with Kansas. Originally, Young had only signed a grant-in-aid agreement, which NCAA rules stipulate is only binding on the school’s side. The player can voluntarily walk away if they would like, and that’s apparently what Young has done.

As for any expectations, the KC Star reports that the 6-8 forward set freshman records on the defensive end for rebounds, steals and blocks and continued that athletic performance through his sophomore season before sitting out last year to transfer. Many liken him to Julian Wright, but it’d be wise to just be thankful for another high-motor body and see what comes after he plays a few games. Not every new recruit is the savior riding into town, after all.

But Young does add another body at a point of need. Other recruits like Jamari Traylor are going to need some time to develop and take in the elite college game, while others like Thomas Robinson will rise to take over team leadership roles. There’s changes all around for Bill Self and his staff, but it’s nothing they haven’t seen before. And adding one more body just makes it a bit easier to shuffle the deck.

Jayhawks Forward Kevin Young Chose Kansas Over San Diego State

KU fans have been waiting for some time to see how the last couple of scholarships for next season will play out given the number of players leaving the Jayhawks from a successful 2010-11 season. Bill Self had a loaded squad last year with three probable first round draft selections — Markieff Morris, Marcus Morris, Josh Selby — and plenty of senior leadership in Brady Morningstar, Tyrel Reed and Mario Little. Suffice to say, there’s space to fill.

Enter Kevin Young, the surprise transfer from Loyola Marymount who had originally committed to San Diego State only to upend those expectations with his signing with Kansas. Originally, Young had only signed a grant-in-aid agreement, which NCAA rules stipulate is only binding on the school’s side. The player can voluntarily walk away if they would like, and that’s apparently what Young has done.

As for any expectations, the KC Star reports that the 6-8 forward set freshman records on the defensive end for rebounds, steals and blocks and continued that athletic performance through his sophomore season before sitting out last year to transfer. Many liken him to Julian Wright, but it’d be wise to just be thankful for another high-motor body and see what comes after he plays a few games. Not every new recruit is the savior riding into town, after all.

But Young does add another body at a point of need. Other recruits like Jamari Traylor are going to need some time to develop and take in the elite college game, while others like Thomas Robinson will rise to take over team leadership roles. There’s changes all around for Bill Self and his staff, but it’s nothing they haven’t seen before. And adding one more body just makes it a bit easier to shuffle the deck.

Kevin Young Joins the University of Kansas Basketball Team

Bill Self announced today that Kevin Young will be a Kansas Jayhawk next season. Young will be a junior next season and is eligible to play immediately for KU.

Previously, Young was a two-year letter winner for Loyola Marymount. As a sophomore, he averaged 10.7 points and 5.6 rebounds per game. Young did not play basketball last season, deciding to focus on academics while acquiring his associate's degree from San Bernardino Community College.

Young is a 6'8 forward who has a skill set that has been described by Bill Self as being similar to former Jayhawk Julian Wright. After missing on wing DeAndre Daniels, Young is a nice pickup for a Jayhawk team that will need size next year. Factor in Young's experience at the college level, and it appears that once again Self has found a recruiting steal late in the game.