Every year, as the end of the year approaches, amateur basketball teams around the country begin to warm up for the upcoming season. The same goes for college basketball. With new faces every year, all eyes are on each team’s recruiting class as they prepare for the season.
It’s a huge part of the recruiting process, and it can change the face of a school depending on which players choose to attend. So, without further ado, we’re going to take a look at the 2024 recruiting class, which is the most important one for many ama basketball fans.
Last up is KU.
Last season, KU was one of the most dominant teams in college basketball. They finished at the top of both the regular season and playoffs, winning the overall title. The 2024 recruiting class may have been a bit off the mark for KU, but they still managed to get a lot of players with youth national team experience.
KU lost three players at the end of last season. Seniors Moon Jung-hyun (Suwon KT) and Park Mubin (Ulsan Hyundai Mobis) were called up by professional teams, while Shin Joo-young (Daegu KOGAS) also made it to the pro ranks early.
Moving to fill the void, Korea University enrolled a number of players with youth national team experience.
The first to join the backcourt is long guard Seok Jun-hwi from Anyang Go. Seok, who also represented the U19 national team last year, is one of the most athletic players in his age group, and has shown great skills in steals, defense, and assists. His ability to orchestrate a game with speed has also improved with experience. His weakness is his shooting, but his international experience has left him with room for improvement.
Outside of basketball, he has the star power to draw fans to the stadium with his good looks.
Former Yangjeong High School player Shim Joo-en is also a new member of the Anamgol family. After representing his country at the U16 level, he made a name for himself as a top-notch shooter at the high school level. His shooting ability is so good that he can create moving shots from the outside. However, his offensive options outside of the perimeter are limited, and he needs to work on his boldness in clutch situations.
Myeongji’s Kim Jung-hyun Daniel is another resource that can add firepower from the outside. He’s a long, sharp shooter who can quench your thirst when you need a shot from the outside. Due to his short frame, he will need to refine his game in college to become the lifeblood of the forward line.
Gwangshin Broadcasting High School senior Seung-won Jung also received a call from KU. Jung is a big man, but he is a forward-type player with good physicality, elasticity, and speed. He has been playing regularly since his junior year in high school and has gained experience. However, his lack of fundamentals means that it will be a while before he is ready for the big leagues. If he can work on his weaknesses for the future, he could add weight to KU’s backcourt.
Lee Do-yoon (Murong High) has also committed to KU. Touted as a big man prospect since middle school, Lee developed into the biggest center in high school through age-group representation. He combines height and power with long arms and the ability to finish under the basket. He uses both hands well and is very versatile inside. With a little more mental maturity, he could be a solid option for KU, which lacks a true big man.