Kansas basketball recruiting: Top 3 high school prospects for Bill Self's team ft. Darryn Peterson
For Bill Self and the Kansas Jayhawks, their run to March Madness last season could be termed a failure. Despite being a former defending national champion in 2022 and having a solid roster behind them, being eliminated in the Round of 32 as the fourth seed is not a good look for the program.
But since top big man Hunter Dickinson is forgoing the NBA Draft and returning to Kansas for the upcoming season, head coach Self will need a few more folks to shore up his roster. That said, here are three highly touted high school prospects who could allow them to get over the hump in 2024-2025.
Top 3 high school prospects for Kansas Jayhawks
#1: Darryn Peterson
A 6-foot-5, 195-lb guard out of Huntington Prep, Darryn Peterson has offers from Arkansas, Baylor, Indiana, and Kentucky, alongside Kansas. Head coach Bill Self should do everything in his power to land this kid, considering the immense potential he has.
Peterson is ranked third in the nation and is also the number one shooting guard in the country, as well as a consensus five-star recruit. Not many better players are still available, so Kansas Jayhawks basketball should make him a clear recruiting target as soon as possible.
The Huntington, WV, native is at least an elite two-level shot-creator with great athleticism and a knack for finishing around the basket despite contact. He also has good size for the two and may even have enough physical gifts to work at the wing if he needs to. Darryn Peterson could be a good complementary piece to Kevin McCullar Jr. and Hunter Dickinson on offense, providing quick scoring.
#2: Tounde Yessoufu
Tounde Yessoufu is ranked as the sixth-best PF in the nation and the second-best in California. A consensus four-star recruit, the 6-foot-5/6-foot-6, 210-lb Yessoufu could be a bit undersized for the four but he should be the top frontcourt prospect that Kansas should target right now.
The reason is simple: many other players aren`t too interested in playing for the Jayhawks, especially with Hunter Dickinson returning. Yessoufu is described as a "physically developed, explosively athletic" prospect which should tell anyone what they need to know about his level of athleticism (via On3).
Nimble frontcourt players are all the rage these days due to their massive offensive potential and ability to switch on defense. Tounde Yessoufu could be considered quite a raw prospect skill-wise, but developing in a backup role for Kansas Jayhawks basketball in 2024-2025 could be a great opportunity for him to climb the prospect ladders.
#3: Darius Acuff Jr.
Darius Acuff Jr. is ranked as the best PG in the country and the fourth-best player in his class, as per 247Sports. He is a 6-foot-3, 180-lb floor general out of IMG Academy who can confidently control the offense. His powerful build allows him to barrel into the lane and absorb contact, where he can score or pass, depending on the situation.
Aside from his clear skillset and potential, his biggest asset is his overall demeanor as someone who exhibits authority on the floor. Here`s his official On3 scouting report:
"Darius Acuff steps on the court with a swagger. He has long arms and a purposeful handle. Acuff is a capable scorer from multiple levels, showing deep range off the bounce or the catch. He is comfortable pulling up in the mid-range and he has a crafty bag around the rim. Acuff is more quick than fast. He has a good first step, getting to his spots, but he needs to continue to work on his burst around the basket."
For all his strengths, however, here are his biggest downsides:
"He needs to continue getting strong passing off movement. He can also get shot happy. While he has put up big scoring totals, he does so mainly with a lot of shot attempts at this point. His over-dribbling can kill the flow of an offense. Efficiency is a big thing with Acuff, his totals can be inefficient."