Kansas University’s incoming freshman class generally is regarded as one of the best in the country, a deep, talented group former KU coach Roy Williams referred to as a “core” class.

Now, some members of that class are having second thoughts.

“I’m pretty sure I’m still going to Kansas,” said Omar Wilkes, a 6-foot-4 guard from Los Angeles.

“But I want to see what David’s (Padgett) doing. I do love Kansas, but Roy Williams was a huge part of going to Kansas. I fell in love with that man.”

Wilkes; Padgett, a 7-foot forward from Reno, Nev.; J.R. Giddens, a 6-5 swingman from Oklahoma City; and Jeremy Case, a 6-footer from McAlester, Okla.; signed national letters of intent with Kansas in November.

The four indirectly learned Monday Williams was leaving KU after 15 seasons to return to his alma mater, North Carolina.

“I thought there was no way he’d go,” Wilkes said. “He told me it was hard to turn down three years ago. I guess I didn’t take it as serious as I should have.

“The longer it dragged out, the more paranoid I got.”

News of Williams’ departure took the signees by surprise.

“He’s in shock right now,” said Giddens’ mother, Dianna. “We really haven’t discussed it, but he’s shocked. I have no idea what’s going to happen.”

Giddens is in Washington, D.C., for the Michael Jordan Classic. He made a frantic phone call home when he heard reports Williams was leaving.

“When he gets back, we’re going to sit down and think about what he’s going to do,” Dianna Giddens said. “We don’t know what’s going to happen.”

The same could be said for Padgett.

“The main reason we were interested in seeing our son go to Kansas was to play for Roy, because we felt like what he said you could count on,” said Pete Padgett, David’s father. “We’re almost stunned. We had never seen that side of coach Williams before.

“I’m more than upset about it, to be honest,” said Pete Padgett, whose son had narrowed his choices to Kansas and North Carolina. “You look at your son and see him absolutely devastated by what he hears on TV and what the media are saying when they call. I really think it was poor the way it was handled. We’ll just have to sit down as a family and decide what we want to do.

“Coach Williams told us he would coach David for four years. Now we need to take a step back and see what happens. People are astounded he hasn’t contracted the incoming players for next year.”

Case, however, seemed solid in his commitment.

“I love KU,” he said. “I love they way they are.”

While the other KU signees’ disappointment might be understandable, there’s not much they can do.

National letters of intent are binding, KU associate athletic director Janelle Martin said, and the NCAA is harsh in dealing with athletes who don’t abide by their letters.

“It’s pretty clear on the letter you sign with an institution, not a specific coach,” Martin said.

If a signee chose to enroll at a school other than KU, he would lose two years of eligibility. He could ask for a qualified release from KU, and, if granted, he would lose just one year of eligibility.

He also could appeal the NCAA for a mutual release. If granted, he could enroll elsewhere with no penalty, but, Martin said, the wording of the national letter of intent was clear: A coach’s departure is not grounds for an appeal.

The Kansas signees’ only other option would be to enroll at a junior college.

Martin said KU’s stance toward a qualified release was impossible to predict since the Jayhawks haven’t replaced fired athletic director Al Bohl.

“A lot of people have been affected by this decision,” Wilkes said. “The ones hurt the most are the ones closest to the program — the recruits and the players already there.”