Kansas Basketball: Bill Self signs a top 10 class

No matter the circumstances, Bill Self can recruit. Kansas locked in their three-man recruiting class on the first day of the early signing period.

The Jayhawks class currently ranks ninth in the 2023 On3 Team Rankings. Their 95.36 class score ranks them second in the Big 12.

Kansas class

Four-star PG Elmarko Jackson

Height/Weight: 6-4/205
School: South Kent (CT) South Kent Academy
On3 Consensus: No. 26

Elmarko Jackson is originally from Richland, New Jersey, and played his high school basketball for South Kent School in Connecticut and for the We R1 AAU program. Jackson dominated on the AAU circuit before the start of his senior season, posting 15.1 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 5.6 assists per game at the UAA Finals. “Elmarko has tremendous upside and is blessed with a ton of natural ability,” South Kent coach Raphael Chillious told ZAGSBLOG.

Jackson is a strong-framed, long-armed lead guard. Built like he’s already been in a college strength and conditioning program for a couple of years. Jackson is a jet-quick lead guard, one of the fastest in the country, with the ball in his hands. The jump shot can get flat, but he’s shooting it better off the bounce. He has upside on the defensive end and is developing his reads in the half-court. At 6-4/200, with great speed on the ball is eye-opening. His dad played football at Temple, and his uncle played football at Michigan.

Four-star CG Chris Johnson

Height/Weight: 6-4/180
High school: Montverde (FL) Academy
On3 Consensus: No. 37

Chris Johnson is a protégée of former Texas star T.J. Ford. The former Longhorns’ guard would pick Johnson up when he was little and take him to whatever gym he needed to go to. “He’s the ultimate competitor,” Ford said. “He’s capable of doing anything a coach wants on the floor. Johnson said, “I love playing defense.”

Johnson is a paint touch point guard with great size. He has a quick first step into the paint and the IQ to make a read with what the defense gives him. The jump shot is a question mark, as his release can be inconsistent. However, with he showed confidence this summer with one and two dribble pull-ups in the mid-range. He has the capability to be a good point-of-attack defender with good size, length, and some quick-Twitch. There is a sense of toughness there, and as long as he stays focused, there are a lot of tools to build on. The jump shot will need to be ironed out, but he does a lot of things you want a PG to do.

Four-star SF Jamari McDowell

Height/Weight: 6-5/180
High school: Manvel (TX) High
On3 Consensus: No. 80

Toughness is the biggest takeaway after watching Jamari McDowell. The 6-foot-5 wing does a lot of things that affect winning. He is a good athlete, both laterally and vertically. You want to see him continue to develop the ball skills and become a more consistent three-point shooter. McDowell can defend multiple positions along the perimeter and even, in time with added weight, switch down a lineup. Productive.