Rakease Passmore Chooses Kansas for College Basketball

In a significant announcement, Rakease Passmore, an ESPN 100 wing player, made his college basketball commitment to the University of Kansas on Wednesday. This decision marks a pivotal moment in his promising basketball career, as he becomes the third top-60 recruit in the 2024 class to choose the Jayhawks.

Passmore’s selection of Kansas over other potential schools, including Oklahoma and LSU, underscores the importance of several factors in his choice. He cited the coaching staff’s influence, the Jayhawks’ track record of success, and their unwavering support for their players as crucial reasons behind his decision. He stated, “Kansas was special to me because of the coaching staff, the way they win, and the way they buy into their players.”

The talented young athlete has ambitious plans for his college experience, aiming to make an immediate impact on the court and continually improve his skills. Off the court, he intends to focus on personal growth and planning for his future.

Passmore’s journey to selecting Kansas involved considering various schools throughout the recruitment process. He embarked on visits to schools like Indiana, Oregon, Wake Forest, and Mississippi State in addition to his finalists. Notably, Kansas initially offered him a scholarship last fall but intensified their pursuit only recently, leading to an official visit and his ultimate commitment.

When asked about the Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) aspect, Passmore clarified that it wasn’t his primary concern. His focus remains on finding the best basketball fit to help achieve his dreams of playing in the NBA and excelling in college basketball.

Rakease Passmore, a 6-foot-5 powerful wing hailing from Combine Academy in North Carolina, holds the rank of No. 52 in the ESPN 100 and is positioned as the No. 10 shooting guard in his class. His performance on the Nike EYBL circuit in the spring and summer showcased his abilities, where he averaged 12.3 points and 4.5 rebounds over ten games. Passmore stands out as one of the class’s best athletes and finishers, with impressive vertical athleticism and speed. He possesses NBA-caliber leaping ability and exhibits a quick first step to attack the rim while being an adept passer when drawing defenders.

Defensively, he excels both on and off the ball, displaying the ability to secure rebounds and initiate fast breaks. The area he aims to improve is his jump shot consistency.

Passmore joins the 2024 class at Kansas, alongside elite center Flory Bidunga (No. 6) and high-level point guard Labron Philon (No. 35). This recruitment success positions Kansas alongside Duke as the only two programs with three commitments ranked within the top 55.

Furthermore, it was announced on the same day that Kansas would not face any additional significant penalties stemming from the FBI’s 2017 investigation into college basketball. The program had previously been placed on three years of probation and was required to vacate its 2018 Final Four appearance. However, there would be no additional postseason ban, and head coach Bill Self, along with assistant coach Kurtis Townsend, would not face any further suspension. The Independent Resolution Panel downgraded the violations, reducing the school’s Level I violations to two Level II violations and two Level III violations, while assigning a Level II violation and a Level III violation to Townsend and a Level III violation to Self.