For a situation with entirely zero substance the last two days, there are a lot of news story about DeAndre Daniels choosing not to sign anywhere as of press time. Fans of the Texas Longhorns and Kansas Jayhawks wait in eager expectation to see where Daniels will land in the hopes of adding the highest rated recruit this late in the game to recruiting classes that will be asked to help immediately.
For such buzz over a non-decision, the question could be asked: is Daniels worth the fuss? The answer is an astounding “yes.” While the hype behind Josh Selby turned into a one-and-done college career that fizzled more than it sizzled, that’s usually the rare occasion. Instead, when a highly ranked recruit signs at a position of need for a top ranked program, the results are usually sweet. And make no mistake, that’s what the Jayhawks are waiting for in this tenuous time.
The Kentucky Wildcats enjoyed the fruits of such one-year labors under John Wall. The same can be said of John Calipari’s former team, the Memphis Tigers, who rode Derrick Rose who went 38-2 in Rose’s lone season. In perhaps the best case scenario, Carmelo Anthony guided the Syracuse Orangemen to the 2003 NCAA Championship in his only college season. Such are the possibilities.
Daniels is bound to make a significant impact to whichever team he signs with, and in fact, it might even make a significant difference between the Big 12 powers as soon as this fall. That makes an already exciting tension all the more dramatic.