photo by: Photo courtesy of Kansas Athletics

Incoming Kansas freshman Gethro Muscadin

The Kansas basketball program on Saturday announced that incoming freshman Gethro Muscadin, a 6-foot-10, 215-pound forward from Aspire Academy, in Louisville, Ky., will wear No. 35 with the Jayhawks during the 2020-21 season.

The move, in some ways, is reminiscent of the one made by a young Marcus Garrett, who, upon arriving at Kansas before the 2017-18 season, did not blink while stepping into the jersey number (0) previously worn by reigning national player of the year Frank Mason III.

During the 2020-21 season, Muscadin will attempt to follow a similar path, taking the number worn by 2019-20 All-American Udoka Azubuike.

However, Muscadin will not don No. 35 in an attempt to try to follow in Azubuike’s footsteps.

“I’ve been wearing No. 35 for the past couple of years,” Muscadin said in a KU news release announcing his number choice. “And Kevin Durant is one of my favorite players. I love his game.”

There aren’t many similarities between the Brooklyn Nets star and Muscadin, but there weren’t many similarities between Azubuike and Jerod Haase either.

Haase, from 1995-97, was the last Jayhawk before Azubuike to wear No. 35. Muscadin will become the eighth Kansas men’s basketball player all-time to wear the number.

He joins Haase, Calvin Thompson (1983-86), David Magley (1979-82), Rodger Bohnenstiehl (1966-68), Bob Frederick (1960-62) and Monte Johnson (1957-59).

Known as a versatile and athletic big man who can run the floor and get on the glass, Muscadin (pronounced Mus-ka-den) averaged 12.6 points, 9.3 rebounds and 1.6 blocks per game at Aspire last season. He had nine games with 10 or more rebounds and recorded six double-doubles.

“He’s a runner. He’s a jumper. He’s a shot blocker. His activity level is very high,” KU coach Bill Self said after Muscadin signed with Kansas. “We feel like he is a guy that could develop into one of the better big men in this class.”

Prior to his senior season in Louisville, Muscadin, a native of Haiti, played his sophomore and junior seasons at Sunrise Christian Academy outside of Wichita.

“It was a great opportunity for me and opened up some other things so I took it,” Muscadin told the Journal-World of his final season at Aspire Academy. “But I loved my time at Sunrise and I got to know Kansas really well when I was there.”

Muscadin was ranked No. 136 overall in the 2020 recruiting class by Rivals.com and No. 149 in the final 247Sports rankings for 2020. He orally committed to KU in October and signed during the early signing period last November.

Muscadin becomes the third KU newcomer to announce his jersey number for the 2020-21 season, joining five-star freshman Bryce Thompson, who will wear No. 24, and juco transfer Tyon Grant-Foster, who will wear No. 1.