Kansas men’s basketball earns commitment from 4-star guard Jamari McDowell

LAWRENCE — Kansas men’s basketball picked up its second public commitment for the 2023 recruiting class Saturday as Jamari McDowell announced he will play for the Jayhawks.

McDowell is a 247Sports Composite four-star shooting guard from Texas. He’s ranked 77th overall and 10th at his position nationally, in addition to being fifth overall in his state. He picked Kansas over Xavier, Texas A&M and Wake Forest.

“I chose Kansas because (of) the relationships with the people, the resources, the history of the program, of course,” McDowell said in a video that streamed live on Instagram. “They just went to the national championship, won it. So, Hall of Fame coach in coach Bill Self. Great program. Rock Chalk.”

McDowell had visited the Jayhawks in August as they prepared to defend the second national title of Self’s tenure with the program. He joins a 2023 recruiting class that includes four-star combo guard Chris Johnson, the 46th-ranked prospect in the country. McDowell is listed at 6-foot-4 and 180 pounds and Johnson at 6-foot-5 and 180 pounds, so the two will provide Kansas size in the backcourt when they report to campus next year.

More:Kansas men’s basketball’s 2022-23 Big 12 schedule released, to start Dec. 31 vs. OSU

The roster outlook for when they do report ahead of next season is far from being determined. There’s more than a few current Jayhawks who could try to turn pro after the upcoming season but who would have eligibility left, and there’s the transfer portal to consider as well. It’s too soon to say the newcomers couldn’t find a way into the rotation.

“The intensity and the heart, it’s mostly a mental thing,” McDowell told 247Sports about why he thinks Kansas targeted him. "It’s not as much talent because everybody at that level has talent, but not everybody has the will, so I think that is what it was. I’m talented and have the ability to do everything on the court because I’m a talented player, but I feel like it was the way I played the game, make the right pass and make the right play every time.”

In less than a month, Kansas will hold Late Night in the Phog at Allen Fieldhouse. That comes ahead of an exhibition Nov. 3 at home against Pittsburg State and the season opener Nov. 7 at home against Omaha. The Jayhawks are looking to defend their share of last season’s Big 12 Conference regular-season title and the outright capture of the Big 12 tournament championship.

Jordan Guskey covers University of Kansas Athletics at The Topeka Capital-Journal. Contact him at jmguskey@gannett.com or on Twitter at @JordanGuskey.

This article originally appeared on Topeka Capital-Journal: Kansas men’s basketball earns commitment from 4-star Jamari McDowell