Roy Williams has been known to drop the telephone, pump his fist and scream, âÂÂYes!â when menâÂÂs basketball recruits as talented as David Padgett orally commit to Kansas University.

âÂÂI go nuts over an eagle putt âÂÂ: but I think I do get a little emotional,â Williams, KUâÂÂs 15th-year coach, said of his reaction to commitments of players in his nucleus class of Padgett, Omar Wilkes and Jeremy Case, who on Wednesday signed national letters-of-intent with KU, plus J.R. Giddens, who will sign next Tuesday in a ceremony at his high school.

âÂÂIf somebody decides they are coming to Kansas, they are putting their faith in you. It means a lot to me. ItâÂÂs not a fly-by-night thing. I invest a lot. When I say invest, I mean everything I have. So I do feel happy. I let out a yell. I will do some crazy things.âÂÂ

Williams and his assistants have high-fived each other over this yearâÂÂs recruiting class, which is led by Padgett, a 6-foot-11, 240-pound forward/center who averaged 22.4 points and 14.3 rebounds last year at Reno (Nev.) High.

âÂÂI donâÂÂt think David Padgett can tell you anybody else wanted him more than I did,â Williams said of the versatile big man who is the son of Pete Padgett, Reno HighâÂÂs coach. âÂÂHe is the kind of kid we felt we needed to add in this class. Since we are losing Nick (Collison) and lost Drew (Gooden) last year, we felt we needed a high-quality post player. We felt the guy we brought in would be asked to play major minutes.

âÂÂDavid can run like crazy for a big guy,â Williams assessed. âÂÂHe has good hands, good touch. He defends, rebounds. Some may have a flashier game, but not any more consistent a game. His dad has done a nice job trying to make him a complete player, and the youngster has taken that coaching to heart.âÂÂ

Case, a 6-foot guard out of McAlester (Okla.) High who averaged 25.7 points a game last year, is the son of Oklahoma City University coach Win Case.

âÂÂJeremy is a youngster who can really shoot the ball,â Williams said, noting Case reminds him a bit of ex-Jayhawk Jeff Boschee.

âÂÂIn some ways he doesnâÂÂt have the quick release Boschee has. He has a different release. He takes it back over his head a little bit more than Boschee did. I like gym rats, and I think heâÂÂs one of those.âÂÂ

Case will be a work in progress.

âÂÂHeâÂÂs going to get bigger and stronger. Look at him now, you see a nice-looking kid, (but) you think heâÂÂs about 13-years-old. HeâÂÂll get bigger and stronger and will be dedicated to improving his game.âÂÂ

Another baby-faced player is Wilkes, a 6-4 guard from Los Angeles Loyola High and the son of former NBA standout Jamaal Wilkes.

âÂÂItâÂÂs hard to imagine heâÂÂs a high school senior, he looks so young,â Williams said. âÂÂHe can handle the ball, pass, shoot, defend, drive. He really is a complete guard.âÂÂ

Wilkes averaged 22.0 points, 6.0 rebounds, 5.0 assists and 4.0 steals a year ago.

âÂÂI donâÂÂt know weâÂÂll know for sure where Omar will play until he gets here. WeâÂÂll see how he mixes with everybody else,â Williams said. âÂÂHe has a lot of versatility. He reminds me of (former Jayhawk) Steve Woodberry. HeâÂÂs not quite as skinny as Steve was when he first got here.

âÂÂThe best thing I can say about Omar is, every time I watch him play, his team does better when heâÂÂs in the game. He is all about winning.âÂÂ

Williams canâÂÂt comment about Giddens until the 6-5 Oklahoma City John Marshall High guardâÂÂs letter arrives in the mail next week. Williams says he fully supports Giddensâ decision to wait to sign Tuesday at a school assembly.

As far as the class of four …

âÂÂWe feel very good about it,â said Williams, who indicated heâÂÂd save the Jayhawksâ fifth available scholarship until next year unless he âÂÂfalls in loveâ with a prospect second semester.

âÂÂThere are always people you wanted you didnâÂÂt get. It happens with us almost every year as well. But this was a very complete class,â Williams said. âÂÂWe have some major minutes and some major plusses we are going to be losing. ThereâÂÂs not two players out there Ãi¿½” I donâÂÂt care who they are Ãi¿½” that will step in and do the equivalent of what we hope Kirk and Nick will do this year.

âÂÂWe needed to have a good, solid class. With four youngsters we feel it is a solid class.âÂÂ

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Unwrap the package theory: Williams nixed the idea that AAU teammates Wilkes and Padgett were part of a âÂÂquote, package deal. They made their decisions independently,â the coach said. âÂÂNeither one is coming here because the other guy decided to. In saying that, I will say it makes it nicer for them and more comfortable for them. They even visited together.

âÂÂBut if David had decided to go to Timbuktu, then Omar wasnâÂÂt going to go to Timbuktu. They made their decisions independently, what was best for them.âÂÂ

Williams said Wilkes would likely attend a KU game next week in the Preseason NIT.

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Hectic slate: Williams described his hectic recruiting schedule.

In a four-day span this fall … âÂÂwe made a trip to Los Angeles one day, on to Reno one day, Appleton, Wis., one day, Texas one day in there, from Appleton to Springfield, Mass., for the Hall of Fame induction ceremony, then back.âÂÂ

And in July … âÂÂwe go to Indianapolis two days, Teaneck, N.J., two days, Dallas/Fort Worth two days, Augusta, Ga., two days when Augusta National is not open, Miami two days.

âÂÂThen we take a four-day breather and go to Las Vegas three days, a nice easy flight from Las Vegas to Orlando for two days, then a nice easy flight from Orlando to Los Angeles.âÂÂ

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Honors: ESPNâÂÂs Dick Vitale on Thursday chose KU senior Kirk Hinrich his preseason player of the year. ESPN selected OklahomaâÂÂs Hollis Price the No. 1 player in the country, Hinrich second best and Collison as the third best player in the country. Vitale said his leading five contenders to go to the Final Four are KU, Arizona, Florida, Oklahoma and Duke.