How good a basketball player is future Kansas University combo guard Jeremy Case?

He’s a blue-chip “can’t miss” prospect says recruiting analyst Greg Swaim, who has watched the 6-foot-1, 160-pound point guard/shooting guard not only excel for McAlester (Okla.) High School, but also Athletes First AAU out of Oklahoma City.

Case played point guard last summer for Athletes First, which boasted major college prospects in Shelden Williams (Duke), Kelenna Azubuike (Kentucky), Marques Hayden (Kansas State) and others.

“If Jeremy can get a little stronger, he is an absolute steal,” said Swaim, tourney director of the BigTime men’s challenge July 8-10 in Oklahoma City and author of www.gregswaim.com.

“He has a sweet shot. He knows when to pull up and take the three and also when to give it up and pass. He has the skills of a shooting guard and skills as a point guard.”

Swaim said the McAlester High junior who verbally committed on Friday to KU over Oklahoma not only has a sweet outside shot, but also is known for taking care of the basketball.

“He’s a very smart player,” Swaim said of Case, who will sign his letter of intent in November. “He’s a coach’s son and everybody knows how coach (Roy) Williams loves coach’s sons. (Kirk) Hinrich and (Nick) Collison came in to Kansas so fundamentally sound, in large part because they are coach’s sons. Jeremy is the same way.”

Case is the son of former Oklahoma State standout Win Case, who is in his 12th year head coach at Oklahoma City University. Case’s mother, Rita Kemp, played college basketball at Seminole (Okla.) Junior College.

“I want to give his mom a lot of credit,” Win Case said Friday. “A lot of people try to give me credit, since I’m a coach. His mom was a good player and starting out she was a big influence. He spends the summers with me and is in the gym all day. He’s a gym rat who loves the game.”

Jeremy shoots right-handed like his mom. Win was a sharpshooting lefty for Okie State.

“I tell you what’s weird. He writes left-handed and shoots with his right hand,” Win Case said. “I’m left-handed. His mom is right-handed. He got both mixes. He can shoot with both hands, actually.”

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Sullivan on Case: Analyst Mike Sullivan of rivalshoops.com saw Case play last summer.

“I thought he was a good player,” Sullivan said. “Nationally not many have seen him play. He sounds like a well-rounded player and much improved. A bunch of schools wanted him. Sounds like Kansas did its homework and got a good commitment early.”

Swaim says you won’t find Case on many top 100 lists but that is sure to change.

“Watch how fast he goes from being in nobody’s top 100 to top 40 in a matter of weeks,” Swaim said. “Roy Williams is known as an outstanding judge of talent and he (Case) will immediately be one of the higher ranked players in the country. I had him as a possible top 100 player, but remember he’s just a junior in high school. He’s sure to go up this summer.”

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McAlester’s finest: McAlester High coach Jimmy Williams says Case is the best player he’s coached in his 12 years at the Oklahoma Class 5A school.

“My high school coach, Bob Brumley was here 28 years. He said he’s the best player he’s seen in this area,” said Williams.

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Close to home: Proximity to home was an important factor in Case choosing KU at such an early date.

“I told my husband we need to get a new vehicle. We’ll be coming to a lot of games,” Rita Kemp said.

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Hightower paid dues: In a wild coincidence, former Kansas basketball great Wayne Hightower made official contact with his alma mater for the first time in five years shortly before he died last week.

Hightower’s $25 K-Club dues were received by the Williams Fund office late last week. The last time he paid his K-club dues was back in 1997.

In the envelope with his dues, Philadelphia native Hightower included an initialed picture of himself dunking the basketball during his days at Philly’s famed Overbrook High. Hightower died of a heart attack last Thursday at age 62.

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Book coming out: The 96-page softcover book, ‘One Great Ride,’ a pictorial story of this year’s KU basketball team will hit the presses next week. The book has been produced by KU photographer Jeff Jacobsen and is available at kustore.com.