Kansas University today will corral one of the countryâÂÂs top menâÂÂs basketball recruiting classes when four high schoolers sign their collegiate national letters-of-intent.

The four players who have verbally committed and will send their letters to KU this afternoon are David Padgett, 6-foot-11, Reno, Nev.; J.R. Giddens, 6-5, Oklahoma City; Omar Wilkes, 6-4, Los Angeles; and Jeremy Case, 6-0, McAlester, Okla.

Padgett is ranked as the countryâÂÂs 12th best prep player by prepstars.com, 15th best by ESPN.com and 21st best by rivals.com. Giddens is ranked 17th by ESPN.com, 19th by prepstars.com and 37th by rivals.com. Wilkes is 73rd by prepstars.com and 94th by ESPN.com. Case is not listed in anybodyâÂÂs top 100 rankings.

Padgett averaged 22.4 points and 14.3 rebounds last season at Reno High. Wilkes averaged 22 points, six rebounds, five assists and four steals last season at Loyola High. Giddens averaged 25 points and 7.2 rebounds last year at John Marshall High, while Case tallied 25.7 points per contest at McAlester High.

In landing Case and Padgett, KU coach Roy Williams again corrals sons of coaches. CaseâÂÂs dad, Win, is a former Oklahoma State standout and now head coach at Oklahoma City University. PadgettâÂÂs dad, Pete, is coach at Reno High.

KU has two sons of coaches on the current roster – Nick Collison and Kirk Hinrich.

âÂÂI always think itâÂÂs a plus,â Williams said of recruiting coachesâ sons. He was speaking in generalities since he canâÂÂt comment on current recruits until receipt of the letters of intent.

âÂÂMichael Lee and Aaron Milesâ dads have coached them at times as well. I think itâÂÂs great. They are gym rats. TheyâÂÂve been in the gym a long time and donâÂÂt mind spending some more time.

âÂÂBoth kids – Nick and Kirk – are fundamentally sound. IâÂÂm not the one who did it. They did it with their own sweat. We will continue to look at coachâÂÂs kids a lot in our recruiting. Those kind of kids understand so much more, the importance of how the team is doing.âÂÂ

A third recruit also has a father who knows a few things about the game. Wilkesâ father, Jamaal, is a former Los Angeles Laker. KU has one remaining scholarship to give in recruiting. KU coach Williams could award it in the spring or save it to have three available next recruiting season.

Also today, Free State High forward Keith Wooden will sign with Arizona State. Wooden is ranked 40th in the country by Prep Stars.