Team Texas player Zach Peters, right, spins for a shot over Galveston Hornets player Sam Kinlaw during the Kansas City Classic AAU basketball tournament on Saturday at Okun Fieldhouse in Shawnee.

Zach Peters is still adjusting to life after orally committing to play basketball at Kansas University.

The 6-foot-9 high school sophomore from Prestonwood Christian Academy in Plano, Texas, received some unexpected fanfare Saturday while playing for Team Texas at the Kansas City Classic AAU basketball tournament in Okun Fieldhouse.

“Everybody’s giving me high-fives, like random people giving me high-fives,” Peters said with a grin. “I’m like, ‘I don’t know you, but cool.’ I’m thinking they’re Jayhawks (fans), which is pretty cool.”

Peters, who gave an oral commitment to KU last month, said he wasn’t accustomed to the attention.

“Everybody recognizes me here,” Peters said. “It’s different. I’m not used to it back at home.”

Peters also wasn’t used to other facets of being a big-time college basketball player.

“I haven’t usually gotten interviewed after games, so this is weird,” Peters said with a laugh. “It’s fun. I like it a lot.”

Playing with his 17-and-under team, Peters displayed solid fundamentals and a good shooting touch for a post player his age.

He also showed the strength to be able to finish shots even when getting fouled.

“I’m playing football, so that helps,” Peters said. ” … With the physical factor, it helps a lot.”

Though most pre-college players must constantly work on adding muscle, the sculpted Peters said the task is oftentimes the opposite for him.

When he lifts, he puts on muscle so quickly that he has to make sure to not lift too much.

“I don’t want to get too big. I don’t,” Peters said. “I’m cutting back. I haven’t weightlifted in probably two months. When I lift, I get big, and you can’t move as much.”

Peters, who chose KU over North Carolina, Kentucky and Texas, said he was happy to have his college decision out of the way.

In fact, the 17-year-old sophomore — he repeated the eighth grade after a Jet Ski accident during a family vacation — said he wished he could step on KU’s campus a year sooner.

“I’ve always said that. I didn’t want to get held back,” Peters said. “I wish I could, but I can’t.”

So far, Peters said he’s had no regrets about committing early — or about committing to KU.

“Everybody’s like one big family,” Peters said. “Especially basketball. It’s awesome. It’s different than any other school.”

Peters had more confirmation of that Saturday when he was recognized in a place that he didn’t think he’d be recognized.

“I knew they were great fans and everything, but I didn’t know it’d be like that,” Peters said. “It’s pretty cool. I’m excited about it. I thought it was pretty cool.”

Nino Jackson still showing strong KU interest: Nino Jackson, a 6-foot-2, 175-pound guard out of Ardmore (Okla.) High School, made sure to break out his KU gear during his Oklahoma Athletes First AAU team’s trip to the state of Kansas.

Not only did Jackson bring his KU socks to the Kansas City Classic, he also, at times, wore a KU hoodie.

“I’ve really been waiting, getting myself prepared to come to this tournament this weekend and play well,” Jackson said.

The sophomore, who told the Journal-World last week that KU is his top college choice, said some AAU coaches were joking with him during the weekend, telling him he was too big of a KU fan.

Jackson has not yet received a scholarship offer from KU, but he will be attending KU’s Elite camp the first week of June.

The combo guard, who threw in some high-flying dunks during Saturday’s play, said he was impressed by what he’d seen of KU coach Bill Self.

“I like the way he runs his team,” Jackson said. “I like the way they play. He seems like a good person.”

Cole’s height: Former KU center Cole Aldrich was surprised to see he measured 6-foot-11 1?4 with shoes on and just 6-9 without shoes at the NBA Combine in Chicago.

“I tell people I’m 6-11,” Aldrich told reporters. “That’s almost two inches off. I guess they are moon shoes or something.”

Aldrich wears size 17 shoes.