Basketball recruit TyTy Washington sets decision date. KU Jayhawks are a finalist
TyTy Washington, a 6-foot-4, 180-pound senior point guard from Compass Prep in Chandler, Arizona, will announce his college choice on May 15, he announced Tuesday on Twitter.
His dad, Tyrone Washington, told The Star the finalists remain Kansas, Kentucky, Arizona, Baylor, LSU and Oregon.
Washington is ranked No. 12 in the high school basketball recruiting Class of 2021 according to ESPN.com, No. 26 by 247sports.com and No. 32 by Rivals.com.
“I know that’s a place that I can go and excel,” TyTy Washington said of KU in an interview with SI.com. “Their guards traditionally excel, and he (coach Bill Self) is ready to give me the keys to run the show. That’s a big thing for him (Self) to say at a school like that.”
He added to 247sports.com: “When you think of Kansas you think of a blueblood and they are in the Big 12. It is Kansas. Also, the history behind Kansas of producing a lot of pros. I do feel like I have a lot of similarities in my game to Devonté Graham and a little bit of Frank Mason when they were playing there. I can see myself playing there a little bit.”
Of Kentucky, Washington told SI.com: “It’s Kentucky and it’s the best of the best. When you go there you have to prove yourself and I’m the kind of player who loves to bet on myself. That’s just how I was raised. I love their style of play. Coach Cal (John Calipari) gives his players opportunities and space and freedom to play your game.”
Of Arizona, the in-state school on his list, he told SI.com: “It’s only an hour and a half away from home and I speak to (new head coach) Tommy Lloyd at least twice a day on FaceTime. He’s really coming hard and letting me know that he wants me to come there and be the point guard. He’s really passionate. Just seeing how they ran the offense at Gonzaga and how free flowing it was is attractive to me. I love the way he used Jalen Suggs because me and Jalen have a lot of similarities in our games.”
Washington recently was named Arizona boys basketball player of the year by MaxPreps after averaging 24.0 points, 7.0 assists and 6.0 rebounds per game for (28-2) Compass Prep in 2020-21. He hit 48% of his shots, including 41% of his threes. He converted 88% of his free throws.
“His parents raised him the right way. He’s built tough,” Compass Prep coach Ed Gipson told Kentuckysportsradio.com. “He’s going to take what he wants. He’s not going to back down from anybody.
“The shooting, being able to get to his spots, that just comes to him naturally. But it’s the intangible stuff (that separates him),” Gipson added. “He’s the type of kid to take a charge, even though he’s the best player on the team. That’s the stuff that wins championships and that’s what he brings. He’s always been a winner. He’s a guy you want in your corner. If you’re in a fox hole, you want TyTy Washington there with you.”
ESPN draft analyst Jonathan Givony told Kentuckysportsradio.com: “He has an extremely high basketball IQ. He just really knows how to play. He’s a winner. He’s competitive. He makes other guys better. He can shoot off the dribble. He’s got good size. He’s got length. He really has a lot of things that you look for from a point guard that age.”
Washington’s dad recently told The Star in a Twitter direct message that “Kansas has a great chance. TyTy likes the culture, style of play, likes coach (Bill) Self straight forward personal! We as a family love Kansas and everything about Kansas. Also we talk to Mitch Lightfoot’s father (Matt) who provides some great inside info of Kansas.”
Washington decommitted from Creighton on March 11 after committing to the Big East school on Nov. 15, 2020. On March 14 he indicated he’d been offered a scholarship by KU. Washington at one time also considered Illinois, Arizona State, Oklahoma State, Texas Tech, Texas, Pitt and others.
Lockett considers KU, WSU others
Chris Lockett, a 6-5, 190-pound sophomore point guard from Isidore Newman School in New Orleans, has been offered a scholarship by KU and Wichita State, according to 247sports.com. Others to offer include Baylor, Georgetown, Grambling State Houston, LSU, Oklahoma State and Vanderbilt.
“I just got that offer,” Lockett said of KU in an interview with 247sports.com. “The coaching staff likes my game and me a lot. They talk about how they can use a player like me in their system. I like their history and player development. They have been producing pros since I could remember.”
Jaden Clayton being recruited by KU
Jaden Clayton, a 6-0, 160-pound junior point guard from Dream City Christian School in Glendale, Arizona, tells 247sports.com he is being recruited by KU, USC, Dayton, Detroit and others.
“They (KU coaches) said they saw me play with Shaedon Sharpe (6-4 junior combo guard and Dream City Christian teammate) and they like our chemistry and they like how I distribute the ball and they just want to see me break down and get downhill and put a bucket up,” Clayton told 247sports.com.
Clayton, a native of Whitby, Canada, is unranked by Rivals.com and 247sports.com.
