The big story of the weekend came from Lawrence, where Kansas hosted four five-star seniors, two other top-50 prospects in the 2017 class and a host of 2018 and 2019 recruits for Late Night at the Phog -- the Jayhawks’ version of Midnight Madness.
Markese Jacobs, a 2019 prospect, committed shortly after the visit, giving Kansas an early start on its recruiting class two years down the road.
— Markese Jacobs (@markese_24) October 2, 2016
For the near-future, though, the focus was on the 2017 prospects the Jayhawks brought to campus. Five-stars Trevon Duval (No. 5), Collin Sexton (No. 10), Troy Brown (No. 18) and Billy Preston (No. 20) led the way, followed by four-star prospects Tremont Waters (No. 32) and Cody Riley (No. 45).
There were no commitments from the group, but it certainly didn’t hurt Kansas’ chances.
“It was a good visit with a great atmosphere,” Brown told ESPN.
While the focus wasn’t solely on one prospect like some official visits, having so many elite players on campus at one time wasn’t an issue.
“It made the trip much better,” Brown said.
KU showing mad love🙏🏽🔴🔵 #OfficialVisit pic.twitter.com/9I5V9x31qe
— Billy Preston♕ (@nolimitbill) September 30, 2016
Cody Riley and @Troy_Brown33 (Troy Brown) #kubball pic.twitter.com/VsmFjtIBVo
— JayhawkSlant (@JayhawkSlant) October 2, 2016
Indiana was another school with a key weekend the past few days. The Hoosiers’ top target in the 2017 class, Kris Wilkes, was on campus. Wilkes, an Indianapolis native, has been recruited by Tom Crean and Indiana for several years now, and it’s clear he’s been a priority for the Hoosiers.
It seemed like he enjoyed the short trip.
Had a good weekend in bloom. Thank you for all the love. Hoosier nation 🔴⚪️🔴⚪️ pic.twitter.com/wBPFHCvjrQ
— Kris Air Wilkes (@kadw31) October 2, 2016
Another positive for Crean was fellow visitor Clifton Moore -- who didn’t need to wait too long to make his decision. Moore committed to the Hoosiers on Sunday afternoon.
The 6-foot-10 power forward out of Pennsylvania boosted his stock during the spring and summer, and caught the eye of several high-major programs. Indiana didn’t offer until mid-September, but the Hoosiers made up ground quickly and closed the deal on his visit.