KU men’s basketball adds Tiller to 2025 class

University of Kansas basketball recruiting

Kansas men’s basketball coach Bill Self said on Friday that with Darryn Peterson and Samis Calderon already signed, the Jayhawks were “two-thirds done” with the early signing period.

The final third came through just one day later.

Bryson Tiller, a four-star forward ranked No. 20 in the nation by 247Sports and No. 21 by Rivals, announced on a 247Sports livestream on Saturday morning that he will join KU next year.

“Kansas has a rich history,” he said on the stream. “They’re known for putting out players in my position, so I feel like if I go there and do what I need to do, then I would have no problem being the next person up.”

Tiller, who is varyingly listed at 6-foot-9 or 6-foot-10 and between 230 and 240 pounds, picked the Jayhawks from a final quartet of schools that included Auburn, Georgia Tech and Indiana. The high-four-star prospect is originally from Atlanta, where he began playing high school basketball at Pace Academy.

Since then, he has moved to the Overtime Elite competition, in which he was once the first-ever high school sophomore to sign. He averaged 12.2 points, 9.4 rebounds and 1.6 blocks per game during the 2023-24 season. Calderon also plays in OTE.

“Me and Samis are good friends, so we know how to play off each other pretty well,” Tiller said on the stream, “and it’s going to be a good experience going out there with him and winning.”

Tiller has reportedly visited KU on several occasions, including for last year’s edition of the Border Showdown on Dec. 9. His visit to Indiana a week later also coincided with KU’s road victory over the Hoosiers.

Around that time, Eric Bossi of 247Sports called Tiller “one of the most polished frontcourt players in the class of 2025.”

“Capable of operating on the block or facing out to the three-point line, Tiller is a versatile scorer,” Bossi wrote in part. “He’s got broad shoulders, long arms and good functional athleticism in tight spots that he uses to score over and through defenders at the rim. He makes jump hooks, is a good passer out of the post and doesn’t get sped up.”

On3’s Jamie Shaw praised Tiller’s rebounding and his post offense but cited concerns about his “tendency to dribble or dance with the ball in the half court,” shooting range and lateral movement.

Just as Peterson helps fill a void at guard for KU next season, Tiller can provide another option in the post along with Calderon after KJ Adams and Hunter Dickinson are gone. The pair will fill the frontcourt along with Flory Bidunga and Zach Clemence.