3 biggest commitments Bill Self secured ahead of 2024 college basketball season ft. AJ Storr
Kansas Jayhawks coach Bill Self had a successful offseason as he was able to secure the commitments of transferees AJ Storr, Rylan Griffen, Zeke Mayo and Riley Kugel.
The additions solidified the Jayhawks' roster, which became stronger after 7-foot-2 Hunter Dickinson announced that he was returning for another stint with the Big 12 powerhouse.
The latest developments placed Kansas at No. 2 in ESPN's Way Too Early Top 25 just behind Houston. With this in mind, here's a closer look at the top three transfer portal commitments that Kansas secured ahead of the 2024-25 season.
Top 3 transfer portal commitments that Bill Self secured for 2024 season
#3. Rylan Griffen
The 6-foot-6 guard became one of the top contributors for Alabama this past season. He helped the Crimson Tide make the Final Four with his solid averages of 11.2 points, 3.4 rebounds and 1.9 assists per game. He also shot 45.4% from the field, which included 39.2% from the 3-point line.
Aside from his offense, Griffen can play lockdown defense on the opponent's top scorer. He also provided a solid presence on the wingman's spot for Alabama. Bill Self could take advantage of Griffen's capabilities in his small ball packages, which will likely give Kansas' opponents headaches next season.
#2. Zeke Mayo
South Dakota State would never have become champions of the 2023-24 Summit League regular season and tournament without the heroics of Zeke Mayo. The 6-foot-4 guard tallied 18.8 ppg, 5.7 rpg, 3.5 apg and 1.1 spg in 35 games to lead the Jackrabbits to the Summit League double.
That gave South Dakota State an automatic berth in the NCAA Tournament. Unfortunately, the Jackrabbits lost to Iowa State, 82-65, in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.
Mayo brings his dynamic offense to Kansas as he has put up impressive numbers on field goals (46.6%), 3-point percentage (39.1) and free-throw accuracy (82.8%) this past season. He is expected to boost the Jayhawks' offense, which went stagnant in the latter part of the season after the injury suffered by Kevin McCullar Jr.
#1. AJ Storr
The 6-foot-7 Storr will play for his third team in three seasons after stints with St. John's Red Storm (2022-23) and the Wisconsin Badgers (2023-24). Storr's numbers went up this past season, as he became the Badgers' primary option in offense.
In 36 games, he averaged 16.8 ppg and 3.9 rpg to help the Badgers secure a ticket to the Big Ten final. He led Wisconsin's offense in the Big Ten championship, scoring 24 points, but that was not enough in the end as Illinois gained a 93-87 win.
Storr's ability to penetrate the rim is what Self sought for the incoming junior and the Kansas coach hopes that the guard will repay his faith with top-caliber performances that would give the Jayhawks their fifth national championship and second in four seasons.
Does Kansas' four acquisitions from the transfer portal help boost their chances of winning the national championship next season? Let us know your views in the comments section below.