Kansas University basketball recruiting

Blue chip basketball point guard prospect Trae Young has decided to remain at Norman (Okla.) North High School for his senior year, the Oklahoman newspaper has reported.

Young, 6-1, 170 pounds, who is ranked No. 13 in the recruiting Class of 2017 by Rivals.com, had been considering playing for Findlay Prep in Henderson, Nev., or Montverde Academy in Orlando, Fla.

“This gives me one more year to spend at home with my family before I leave for college. And also one more year with friends that I’ve known since I moved to Norman as a kid years ago,” said Young, who averaged 33.6 points, 4.7 rebounds, 4.6 assists and 2.4 steals a game his junior year for Oklahoma state runner-up North.

Young, the son of former Texas Tech standout Rayford Young, has a list of Kansas University, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, Kentucky, Texas, Texas Tech and Washington.

Kansas’ chances took a hit recently when his Mokan Elite AAU teammate, Michael Porter, eliminated KU after Porter’s dad accepted a job on Lorenzo Romar’s staff at Washington.

“Of course everyone wants to know about Mike (Porter) and I’s plans on our package deal and it’s still on. Mike released his final five schools (Washington, Missouri, Oklahoma, Indiana, Virginia) and we talked about it before he released it. Those are the best schools for him and I respect that,” Young wrote in his USA Today blog.

“It’s funny because people are assuming that it’s all over and we’re a done deal to Washington because his dad got the assistant job at Washington. I know that Mike is looking at other schools just as hard and Washington was recruiting me really hard before his dad got the job there. The truth is neither one of us know what we’re gonna do, but I know our plan is still to try and play together in college. Coach Calipari (John, Kentucky) has made me a priority with how often he stays in touch with me, also coach Kruger (Lon, Oklahoma) and I talk quite a bit. Coach Smart (Shaka, Texas) has been in contact with me a lot, coach Self (Bill, KU) and I talk a lot and coach Romar too.”

Young and Porter later this month will attend training camp for the USA Basketball Under 18 team, which will travel to Chile in July for the FIBA Americas U18 tourney.

Canada team weakened: Former KU wing Andrew Wiggins of the Minnesota Timberwolves isn’t the only standout player to decline a chance to play for Team Canada at the upcoming Olympic qualifying tournament in Philippines. Other Canadians who declined: Jamal Murray, Anthony Bennett, Trey Lyles, Tristan Thompson and Nik Stauskas. Crazy thing is these players would still be eligible to join Canada’s Olympic team if a makeshift squad of lesser players can beat the likes of Turkey, France and New Zealand at the qualifying tourney for one available spot in the Games. Canada lost to Venezuela by one point in last summer’s FIBA Americas tourney. A win in that game would have automatically qualified Canada for the Aug. 6-21 Rio Games.

“I’m me. They’re all my friends, they’re going to be my friends. I don’t make those decisions for them,” Toronto Raptors guard Cory Joseph told the Toronto Star. He will play on the qualifying team as well as former Baylor guard Brady Heslip.

Why isn’t Wiggins willing to play? In his first two seasons in the NBA, he’s played in 163 of a possible 164 games. He has averaged more than 35 minutes a game. His team also has a new coach, Tom Thibodeau.

Team FOE in: Team FOE has received enough votes to qualify for the 64-team single-elimination The Basketball Tournament. Former KU players Thomas Robinson, Markieff Morris, Marcus Morris, Mario Little and Tyshawn Taylor hope to place in the top four teams at the Northeast Regional (July 16-17 in Philadelphia) and advance to the Super 16, July 21-23, also in Philly. Four regional winners will be in the national semifinals July 30 at Fordham University. Title game is Aug. 2 at Fordham. It’s winner take all with prize money $2 million.

“Of course it’s for $2 million but it’s also a chance for all of us to get back together,” Little said.