Shabazz Muhammad and KU

Posted on: February 15th, 2012 by jayhawktalk 2 Comments

Courtesy of MaxPreps

By now, you’ve heard the name a hundred times. Regardless of rankings, reclassifications, or anything else, he’s the best player in the Class of 2012. A 6’6 small forward with the ability to shoot, penetrate, pass, dribble, and create. To steal a baseball analogy, he is a 5-tool offensive player.

And he’s visiting the University of Kansas during the biggest regular season game in years.

Muhammad as made it official that he’ll be in the house for the Kansas – Missouri game on February 25. Quite a game to attend. It will be a rematch of epic proportions. If there was ever a game where the roof would actually blow off the building, it will be that one.

Sure, ‘Bazz will be visiting another good “rematch” game when he visits Duke for the North Carolina game. And while that is one of the best rivalry games in all of sports, it will be played next year. And for years to come.

This game won’t.

Muhammad is a game changing type of player. He’s a coach changing type of player. Even a program changing one. But if you’ve followed me long enough, you’d know that I personally don’t think he’ll be in Lawrence next year.

But that doesn’t mean we can’t celebrate the fact that he wants to come check this place out.

And no, I’m not for moral victories when it comes to recruiting. Self and Co. have had their fair share of those.  But there is something to say for getting the best players to visit Kansas.

Branding, perception, competition, twitter…all that crap matters. I want the best players to visit campus every single year, regardless of how much we think they’ll come here.

Odds are we can get one or two of those blue chip kind of players every class, a few guys that fly under the radar, and a few guys to fill out the roster. We’ve done a hell of a job with that plan over Self’s tenure.

And who knows, maybe Shabazz falls in love with Kansas. Maybe the crowd goes as nuts for him as they do the game. Maybe he is blown away with Coaches Self and Townsend’s message. Maybe our current and future players rub elbows with him and make him feel like this is the place to be.

There’s a whole lot to love here.

But even if he doesn’t, I’m glad he’s checking us out.

 

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2 Responses

  1. JIm Ray Turner says:

    Only he knows what factors are important to him in making the decision. Perhaps the laid back lifestyle and the love he’ll get in the smaller town of Lawrence will appeal to him. Perhaps his chemistry with the other players and with the coaches will be a major factor. Or perhaps the glitter of the brighter media lights in another place will be more important to him. If this young man is as intelligent as I suspect, he’ll make the decision that’s best for him. And he’ll give us a good, honest look-see. That’s about all we can ask.

  2. [...] Muhammad, the number one rated high school basketball prospect in the 2012 class, will make his official visit to KU for this Saturday’s matchup against Missouri.  Feb. [...]

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