Will Remy Martin make NBA wait a year? That’s what it’ll take to play point at Kansas

Remy Martin’s heart will not be broken if his NBA dreams are put on hold one more year.

“It’s kind of weird to say hopefully I don’t make it to the league so I could play (at KU). I’m really excited for what the future holds,” Martin, 6-foot-0, 175-pound, two-time first-team all-Pac 12 player out of Arizona State said Monday night after announcing plans to transfer to Kansas while considering a jump to the NBA.

He has until July 7 to remove his name from the draft pool.

“My process is big picture to be able to make it to the NBA. As soon as I was done with college, I thought it was over,” he said of playing four years at Arizona State.

So he declared for the NBA Draft on May 4 before putting his name in the NCAA transfer portal on May 11, electing to possibly take advantage of a “Super Senior” season made possible by the NCAA’s decision to grant all players an extra year of eligibility in response to the coronavirus pandemic.

“Getting an opportunity like this is kind of hard to turn down, playing in an arena like that,” he said of Allen Fieldhouse. “Hopefully we’ll get the fans back (to full capacity). It’s big time. I’m just honored to be able to say I had the opportunity to play at KU.”

Martin — he’s actually 2-0 in his career versus KU, helping the Sun Devils defeat KU in Allen his freshman year and also take the rematch at home his sophomore season — said “I don’t know,” when asked the odds of his playing at KU during the 2021-22 season.

“That’s going to come. I’ve still got to get (NBA) feedback, got to figure out certain things. I just know I would love and it would be an honor to play for KU and play in front of the fans,” Martin said.

He said he did not know when he’d report for summer workouts with his potential new KU teammates.

“I’ve not talked to them (coaches) about it yet. I’m definitely going to see how this process plays out,” Martin said of testing the NBA waters. “I’ll get that information a little bit sooner. As of right now I don’t know. I want to be out there (Lawrence) now if that was up to me. I’ve just got to go through this process.”

Martin, a native of Chatsworth, California, chose Arizona State over KU and others his senior year at Sierra Canyon High School.

“It was pretty quick. I’ve known Coach Self, Coach (Kurtis) Townsend since I was in high school. He (Townsend) recruited me in high school. It was a matter of talking to Coach Self. It was amazing, an honor to be able to feel wanted,” Martin added of Self expressing his desire to coach Martin in 2021-22.

“Ever since I played against (KU) as a freshman I’ve always loved Kansas. I’ve always wanted to go there. It’s kind of cool to come full circle, be able to play for Coach Self and the program and the guys (players). The decision was pretty easy. To play for Coach Self. ... KU is a historic program. The pieces we are having (on 2021-22 roster), it was an amazing deal for me. I couldn’t turn that down.”

Of his own game, Martin, who averaged 19.1 points (on 43.3% shooting; 34.6% from three, 77.6% from free throw line) and 3.7 assists a game in 2020-21 after averaging 19.1 points and 4.1 assists in 2019-20, said: “I think I’m a mixture of lot of people. I love making the right play. Just being able to bring that energy and fierce competitiveness to the game, to be able to control the game like somebody like Chris Paul is what I want to display when I play at KU. I love this game. I get out there and want to change the game, bring energy.”

Martin is the ninth newcomer to be added to the 2021-22 KU roster. KU has signed high school point guards Bobby Pettiford and Kyle Cuffe and also has signed Drake sophomore point guard Joseph Yesufu. KU also has signed frontcourt players KJ Adams, Zach Clemence, Cam Martin and Sydney Curry. A ninth addition is walk-on forward Dillon Wilhite.

KU currently has no scholarships left to give in the recruiting Class of 2021. Ochai Agbaji and Jalen Wilson have entered their names in the 2021 NBA Draft. One or two scholarships could be available if either or both stay in the draft.