Big 12 Basketball: Grading each team’s best recruiting class since realignment

Kansas 

Grade: A-  (No. 2, 2013 class)

Notable commits: SF Andrew Wiggins (No. 1 SF, No. 1 overall), C Joel Embiid (No. 2 C, No.1 4 overall), PG Frank Mason (No. 25 PG, No. 118)

The best class the Big 12 has had aged like fine wine when it comes to the talent. Andrew Wiggins and Joel Embiid were top three picks in the draft. Frank Mason went the distance and terrorized opponents throughout his entire career.

However, this class’s depth lacked more production than star power. Wayne Selden looked to be the main scorer on the 2013-2014 Jayhawks. However, his first two seasons were struggles when it came to consistent scoring.

He averaged 9.5 points per game his first two seasons while shooting 34% from the field. His 2015-2016 campaign was an All-Big 12 caliber, with 13.8 points on 39.8% shooting from beyond the arc. However, he never aspired to be the go-to scorer that a lot of Jayhawk fans were hoping for.

Mason was the biggest gem of the class, after being ranked 118th in the country in his own class. Mason’s senior season alone was better than every other player in the class, finishing with 20.9 points per game, on a white-hot 47.1% from beyond the arc, the highest mark in college basketball.

Mason captured every single postseason award, from AP Player of the Year to winning the Wooden and Naismith award. The other two top 50 guys did not pan out well as Brannen Greene and Connor Frankamp. Greene was a backup through his first three seasons, while Frankamp showed flashes of potential, but left the program after one season.

Wiggins and Embiid’s one season didn’t finish how they wanted, with a Sweet Sixteen exit. Mason was the only ironman, that played more than one season and achieved massive success. The class is still more than deserving of praise.