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KANSAS GETS IT WRIGHT

By Rob Harrington
robharrington@prepstars.com
September 13, 2004

It wasn't supposed to end this way. For a while, it appeared the war for top-five forward Julian Wright would boil down to a three-way race between Arizona, DePaul and Illinois. Kansas then made serious inroads, but surely they wouldn't be able to swoop in and beat out the favorites, right?

Well, not only did the Jayhawks win out for Wright, they closed the deal without even getting Wright on campus for an official visit.

Wright, of course, is the 6-8 WF from Flossmoor (IL) Homewood-Flossmoor who set the world on fire at the Peach Jam in ascending into top-five status in the Class of 2005.

At Kansas, Wright will contribute in multiple scenarios. He has the size to rebound and block shots like a big forward, yet offensively he's able to make things happen from the wing, and he's certainly athletic enough to guard just about any wing forward and even some guards.

The major hole in his game is jump shooting, which improved over the summer but still must become much more consistent for him to succeed at the highest levels of the sport.

For the Jayhawks, Wright is just one more piece in a recruiting class that ranks among the very best in the nation. He joins top-15 AK PG Mario Chalmers and top-30 WA WF Micah Downs as KU commitments.

GATORS ADD BEEF

Florida didn't have to leave the state to get additional frontcourt help. The Gators snagged Jimmie Sutton over the weekend, and the 6-9 C/BF from Coconut Creek (FL) North Broward should pay immediate dividends in the SEC.

Sutton, who checks in at 265 pounds, obviously isn't going to get pushed around inside, even by players years older than himself. He has much development to do offensively, but in the near term he'll be asked primarily to assist inside with rebounding and post defense.

TROJANS GET A PAIR

Southern Cal made good with a couple of very solid prospects. The Trojans will welcome Mike Freeman and Sead Odzic to the fold in 2005-06.

Freeman, a 6-7 BF at Rockville (MD) Montrose Christian. He was among the most touted players in the class two years ago, but he was scarce on the traveling circuit thereafter and was forgotten by many in the process. Still, he's an effective inside scorer who has above average athleticism and a solid frame.

Odzic, on the other hand, needs to get much stronger to effectively compete in the Pac-10. The 6-3 WG at Skokie (IL) Niles West was pursued because of his ability as a long-range specialist. He's one of the most reliable open shooters in the class. He may not be the quickest guy creating his shot, but that won't be his role at USC.

ELSEWHERE....

Damian Johnson is headed to Minnesota. The 6-6 WF at Thibodaux (LA) High previously had attracted serious interest Texas A&M, Georgetown and Penn State. He pledged during his weekend official visit. ...