KU’s Bill Self comments on three new Jayhawks players as signing period opens

Former Missouri Southern forward Cam Martin, former Drake guard Joseph Yesufu and Logan Community College forward Sydney Curry all signed letters-of-intent and/or financial aid agreements with Kansas on Wednesday, KU men’s basketball coach Bill Self announced.

A fourth future Jayhawk, high school point guard Bobby Pettiford, said earlier this week he would sign a letter of intent on Friday.

Wednesday was the first day of the spring signing period. Normally a month long, it has been expanded to Aug. 1 this year because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Martin, a 6-foot-9, 240 pound senior from Yukon, Oklahoma, who signed a financial aid agreement Wednesday in Missouri Southern coach Jeff Boschee’s office, was a two-time NCAA Division II All-America and MIAA all-conference first team player his junior and senior seasons. He averaged 25.0 points and 9.0 rebounds per game this past season. He hit 58% of his shots and 45% of his threes on 110 attempts.

Martin committed to KU on March 31, choosing the Jayhawks over Texas, UNLV, Creighton, Georgetown, Colorado State and Stetson. A senior, he will have one year of eligibility at KU.

“Cam is going to bring a lot of versatility to our frontcourt, allowing us to play with space and size,” Self said. “Jeff Boschee (former KU guard) runs a solid program at Missouri Southern and knows exactly what it takes to play at this level. We’re very excited that Cam is coming to Kansas and look forward to the positive impact he will have on this team.”

Curry, a 6-8, 260-pound sophomore power forward from Fort Wayne, Indiana, orally committed to KU on Thanksgiving Day 2020, choosing KU over Texas A&M, Mississippi, Seton Hall and others. Curry, who signed a letter-of-intent Wednesday, has averaged 13.1 points and 8.2 rebounds and 2.2 assists per game in 19 games this season for Logan, which has advanced to the national juco tournament.

He will have two years of eligibility remaining at KU.

“Sydney is going to bring size, strength and athleticism to our frontcourt, giving us another rim protector,” Self said. “He’s a big man that can play above the rim and has shown the ability to have a big presence inside. Sydney has been developed very well while at Logan and is making a big impact as they continue to play in the upcoming juco national tournament.”

Yesufu, a 6-0, 180-pound sophomore point guard from Bolingbrook, Illinois, announced for KU on April 7, choosing the Jayhawks over USC and Georgia. He also considered Texas, Nebraska, Minnesota, Arizona State, Washington State and Wisconsin.

Yesufu averaged 12.8 points, 1.8 assists and 1.8 rebounds a game this past season for the Bulldogs.

He signed a financial aid agreement with KU on Wednesday. He will have three years of eligibility remaining at KU.

“Joseph is an explosive, dynamic scoring guard that will allow us to play an up-tempo, aggressive style on both ends of the floor,” Self said. “He ended last season playing at a high level, including winning an NCAA Tournament game and propelling Drake to a great season.”

Yesufu started the last seven games of the 2020-21 season and was the Missouri Valley Conference sixth man of the year and was chosen to the league’s all-bench and most improved teams.

Pettiford, who is expected to sign with KU on Friday, is a 6-1 senior point guard from South Granville High in Creedmoor, North Carolina.

KU so far has six incoming players in the recruiting Class of 2021. KU signed high school forwards Zach Clemence and KJ Adams, during the early NCAA Division I signing period that ran from Nov. 11 to Nov. 18, 2020.

The Jayhawks, who have two scholarship available for players in the Class of 2021, are also recruiting a senior high school point guard in TyTy Washington, 6-4, 180-pounds from Compass Prep School in Chandler, Arizona and former Creighton forward Christian Bishop, 6-7, 220 originally from Lee’s Summit.