If it were up to Keith Wooden, he’d have been playing football the last three years for Free State High.

But his parents, Christy and Patrick Lane, would have none of it.

Always listen to mama.

Wooden, a 6-foot-9, 220-pound senior at FSHS, signed a national letter-of-intent on Wednesday to play basketball at Arizona State University. The Firebirds’ career scoring leader would have loved to hit the gridiron, but he’ll settle for the hardwood.

“I’m really excited,” Wooden said. “I get to go to college on a full scholarship and don’t have to pay a thing.”

Wooden’s parents and sister Elizabeth Lane, FSHS coach Jack Schreiner, athletic director Steve Grant, about 25 classmates and a handful of teachers were on hand to watch Wooden’s signing in the Free State library.

Christy Lane remembers Wooden playing football in grade school and hating it. But as he got older, Wooden still wanted to play. This year, because of the Firebird gridders’ success, the itch got worse.

But clearly, basketball was what needed to be scratched.

“We talked about it, but we realized this was his opportunity,” Patrick Lane said.

Indeed. Wooden became the first Lawrence student to sign with a Division I school since 1995 graduate Aaron Butler, who would play at Brown University.

Free State High's Keith Wooden, center, hugs his stepfather, Patrick Lane, after Wooden signed his letter-of-intent to play basketball at Arizona State University. Wooden's sister, Elizabeth Lane, standing, and mother, Christy Lane, watch the proceedings.

“After that, it goes back to Danny Manning,” coach Schreiner said. “So this is pretty special.”

Manning, a 1984 Lawrence High grad, became an All-American at Kansas University and was a No. 1 overall pick in the NBA draft.

Schreiner said Wooden’s signing meant Free State was the team to beat in the Sunflower League, despite a 10-11 season in 2001-02.

“You realize the targets are on our backs now?” Schreiner said. “You’ve got a big red target on your back.”

At that, FSHS teammates Bijai Jones and Dain Dillingham whooped and yelled their support.

“Our backs!”

Still, the Firebirds will depend on Wooden, ranked among the Top 40 prospects in the country by prepstars.com.

An All-Sunflower League selection last year, Wooden averaged 16.6 points and 8.6 rebounds. His 623 points in two seasons is a FSHS record.

But it was Wooden’s big summer that wooed colleges – including Indiana, Connecticut and Kansas. He played in Nike Camps last summer where his mobility and agility impressed recruiters.

Wooden’s ball-handling skills are good for someone his size, and his jumper is solid. But as he improves his strength, his potential seems to be limitless.

“Each year, he just gets bigger and better,” Schreiner said.

Wooden still needs to qualify academically. He took the ACT last month, and needed to improve his score by six points to the necessary 21.

Still, he’s confident he’ll qualify and head to Tempe, Ariz., to play for coach Rob Evans’s Sun Devils – just as soon as he takes care of business this season.

“We’ve all got high expectations,” he said. “We feel like we can make a strong push to state.”