Kadyn Betts to reclassify and join University of Minnesota men's basketball team this fall

Kadyn Betts has changed his mind.

Instead of attending a prep school in West Virginia, the Pueblo Central High School senior-to-be will reclassify and join the University of Minnesota men's basketball program this fall.

What does that mean?

Betts will be a 2022 high school graduate and be eligible to enroll at Minnesota to begin his collegiate career. Betts indicated that he took a language and literature class this summer to complete his requirements to graduate from Pueblo Central. Because he did that, he was reclassified and eligible to enroll at a college institution this year.

Betts is a 6-foot-8, 210-pound forward who was supposed to graduate in 2023. He is ranked as the No. 78 recruit in the country by PrepHoops.

Minnesota's Big 10 appeal a draw for Betts

Earlier this summer, Betts had planned to forego his senior year at Pueblo Central to attend Huntington Prep in Huntington, West Virginia, a basketball-focused prep school. He was set on going to the prep school to improve his skills and play against top-notch competition to prepare himself to play at the college level.

As the summer progressed, Betts said he came to the realization that committing to Minnesota and joining the Gophers' program was the right thing to do.

"Minnesota is in the Big 10 with great players and great competition," Betts said. "I've loved the way the coaches and trainers have treated me and the facilities are great."

Previously:Pueblo Central boys basketball star Kadyn Betts opts out of senior year for prep school

Asked what he would say to those Pueblo Central fans and players who wouldn't get to watch him locally during his senior season, Betts previously said: "Tell them to wait a year and they can watch me on ESPN." That possibility is now more imminent.

Betts will become the third person in his family to play college basketball. His father, Kevin Betts, played at San Diego State, while his older brother Kobi played at Air Force and Colorado School of Mines.

Golden Gophers coach excited about Betts

University of Minnesota head coach Ben Johnson had this to say about Betts joining his program on the UM website, gophersports.com: "We are extremely excited to add Kadyn Betts to our 2022-23 Gopher roster. Kadyn comes from a great basketball family. I love his high academic background along with his contagious passion and energy for Gopher basketball. He has a great skill set with an ability to really shoot the basketball. I love his size and versatility he will bring to our wing position and I look forward to developing him both on and off the court."

Betts will be one of five freshman recruits to join the Golden Gophers to go along with three transfers. He is expected to solidify the forward spot after one of Minnesota's key players was injured earlier in the summer.

Summer team prepared Betts for college

Betts played for P.L.U.T.O. Prospects, a travelling team based out of Colorado Springs, this summer. He said he used the experience to get better and tune his game.

Betts was named to the Battle at the Lakes 17U all-tournament team and scored 31 points and hit seven 3-pointers at the Freedom Classic in Denver. He recently poured in 43 points at a PrepHoops event in Atlanta.

"I was able to play against some of the top players in the country this summer and that helped me prepare," he said. "Plus, I've been away from home nearly the entire summer and that's helped me prepare for what's ahead of me."

He said that he has high expectations as he enters his collegiate career.

"I've talked to the coaches and there's a chance I could either play and be on the roster or redshirt," he said. "It will all come down to how I perform in the preseason."

Betts was a three-year starter for the Wildcats and led his team to a Final Four appearance in the Class 4A state tournament this past season.

More:Pueblo Central's Kadyn Betts headlines all-S-CL boys basketball team for 2022 season

Last season as the team captain, Betts led Pueblo Central to a 23-4 record and was selected a first-team all-state player. He was second in the state in scoring (22.7 ppg) and rebounding (12.3) and led the 4A ranks in in double-doubles (points-rebounds} and blocked shots (2.46).

He went over the 1,000-point barrier as a junior.

Academically, Betts was a junior class president and carried a 4.0 GPA.

Chieftain senior sports reporter Jeff Letofsky can be reached by email at jletofsky@chieftain.com or on Twitter @jeffletofsky

This article originally appeared on The Pueblo Chieftain: Pueblo Central's Kadyn Betts to reclassify, join Minnesota men's basketball