KU Jayhawks offer basketball scholarships to two junior forwards and a point guard
Brandon Gardner, a 6-foot-8, 195-pound junior small forward from Gray Collegiate Academy in West Columbia, South Carolina, on Tuesday received a men’s basketball scholarship offer from Kansas, he reported on Twitter.
Gardner, the No. 39-ranked player in the recruiting Class of 2023 by 247sports.com — he is not yet ranked by Rivals.com — averaged 9.1 points, 7.7 rebounds and 1.6 blocks a game as a sophomore in 2020-21.
“Today has been amazing. I am happy to announce that I’ve been offered by the University of Kansas,” Gardner wrote on Twitter.
He is being recruited by KU, Kentucky, Memphis, Virginia, Florida State, Maryland, LSU, South Carolina, Georgia Tech, Auburn, Iowa and others, according to 247sports.com.
“It is hard not to notice Gardner on the floor. He has some of the most impressive, high-energy plays every single game he plays. He is a high-riser, a quick leaper who knows his game and is ready to pounce on the rim at a moments notice,” wrote Jamie Shaw of Rivals.com. “Gardner has gone viral almost every weekend (on AAU circuit),” he added.
Brandon Garrison reveals KU offer
Brandon Garrison, a 6-8, 200-pound junior power forward from Del City (Oklahoma) High School, has been offered a scholarship at Kansas, he reported Tuesday on Twitter.
Garrison — he is ranked No. 67 in the Class of 2023 by 247sports.com and not yet ranked by Rivals.com — is being recruited by KU, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, Baylor, SMU, Tulsa and others.
Recruiting analyst Brandon Jenkins of 247sports.com wrote this of Garrison: “A long, mobile, and tough big man prospect who competes with consistent energy, Garrison gets better each time I watch him take the floor. He is a low-maintenance prospect who plays the game with a high motor and that is shown in the way he sprints the floor, alters, and blocks shots with length.
“He has a developing body with the frame and shoulders that have the upside to be physically imposing down the road. Offensively he is showing gradual improvement. His touch and full repertoire inside are developing at a steady rate. If there is anything that his game has proven, it is that he has been a consistent hard worker who can achieve his high long-term potential if he keeps the same mindset towards working on his craft.”
Oregon native nets KU offer
Kansas on Tuesday also offered a scholarship to Jackson Shelstad, a 6-0, 170-pound junior point guard from West Linn (Oregon) High School, Shelstad reported Tuesday on Twitter.
Currently unranked in the recruiting Class of 2023, Shelstad is being recruited by KU, Oregon, Oregon State, Texas Tech, Stanford, Washington State, Arizona State, Houston, Eastern Washington and others. Oregon is believed to be the leader. He is a close friend of former Oregon player Payton Pritchard.
“He has a gear that I’ve never had the pleasure of coaching,” West Linn coach Eric Viuhkola told scorebooklive.com.
No. 4-ranked Livingston comments on KU visit
Chris Livingston, known as the best basketball player to come out of Akron, Ohio since LeBron James, told Jayhawkslant.com on Tuesday he “loved” his campus visit to Kansas last weekend.
Livingston, a 6-7, 210-pound senior small forward from Akron’s Buchtel High School, who is ranked the No. 4-ranked player in the recruiting Class of 2022 according to Rivals.com, follows his KU visit with a trip to Kentucky on Friday through Sunday.
“All of the coaches were nice and the environment definitely revolves around basketball,” Livingston told Jayhawkslant,com. “The fan base is crazy and just seeing that during my visit and understanding the history I came to know, that was a pretty cool experience. The facilities are high end and it was a good environment and good vibes all around. I loved the visit.”
Livingston has a list of KU, Kentucky, North Carolina, Memphis, LSU, Ohio State, Georgetown, Tennessee State, Florida and Alabama. He also has said he will consider playing pro ball in the new Overtime Elite League.
He averaged 31.1 points, 15.8 rebounds, 6.5 assists, 4.7 steals and 4.3 blocks per game his junior season at 18-5 Buchtel.
