Jeff Borzello
Paul Biancardi
Paul Biancardi
Basketball Recruiting
National Recruiting Director for ESPN.com
18 years of coaching experience at Division I level
Former Horizon League coach of the year at Wright State
Top-50 senior Davion Adkins announced his commitment to Kansas on Sunday night, becoming the fourth player to pick coach Bill Self and the Jayhawks in the past eight days.
Adkins chose Kansas over Houston and Rutgers, all of which he visited in September.
“The atmosphere at Kansas football was terrific; everyone is connected,” Adkins told ESPN. “The fans really support their programs, and the basketball team sticks together.”
He developed a strong relationship with Self. The Hall of Fame coach impressed Adkins on his visit to Lawrence.
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“When I watched practice, it was intense and detailed. Coach Self is a winner,” he said. “He is a great guy. Off the court, he can be your friend. But when it’s time for practice or games, he is going to get competitive.”
“He is not going to sugarcoat anything,” Adkins continued. “He is going to tell me exactly what I need to do to develop and prepare me for the next level.”
Kansas has now landed four commitments since Sept. 28. Five-star guard Taylen Kinney was the first, announcing for the Jayhawks last weekend. On Wednesday, it was four-star wing Trent Perry’s turn, followed by top-40 junior Javon Bardwell on Friday. And with Adkins now in the fold, Kansas has one of the premier recruiting classes in the country.
A 6-foot-9 big man who plays for Prolific Prep (Florida), Adkins is No. 46 in the SC Next 100. He has a massive 7-foot-2 wingspan and a 9-foot standing reach to go with notably large and secure hands. He moves fluidly down the court, displaying explosive vertical athleticism and posing a lob threat on alley-oops with the ability for powerful finishes. Adkins has a short face-up game, and given his free throw shooting numbers, he should be able to extend his range over time. At the other end, he’s a formidable shot-blocker.
Adkins averaged 14.1 points, 5.6 rebounds and 1.6 blocks on the Adidas 3SSB circuit for Southern Assault in the spring and summer, shooting 58.5% from the field and 77.6% from the free throw line.
He will miss the next three to four weeks after undergoing emergency surgery Saturday to repair a sports hernia.
“Adkins was a full participant at the Wootten Camp earlier this week, but experienced discomfort that intensified upon entering the gym for Prolific Prep’s Border League matchup against Mega,” Prolific Prep said in a statement. “He was taken to a local hospital in Las Vegas, where the procedure was performed.”
