| No. 24 – Kansas Jayhawks | |
|---|---|
| Position | Small forward / power forward |
| League | Big 12 Conference |
| Personal information | |
| Born | April 18, 2002 Austin, Texas, U.S. |
| Listed height | 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) |
| Listed weight | 235 lb (107 kg) |
| Career information | |
| High school |
|
| College | Kansas (2021–present) |
| Career highlights and awards | |
| |
Kevin Wynn "KJ" Adams Jr. (born April 18, 2002) is an American college basketball player for the Kansas Jayhawks of the Big 12 Conference.
Early life and high school career
Adams grew up in Austin, Texas and attended St. Andrew's Episcopal School as a freshman. He transferred to Westlake High School, where he played basketball and lacrosse.[1] Adams averaged 22.6 points, 6.7 rebounds, and 3.5 assists per game during his junior season.[2] He was named 6A All-State as a senior after averaging 25 points, 7.5 rebounds, and 4.1 assists per game.[3]
Recruiting
Adams was rated a four-star recruit, according to major recruiting services.[4] On July 31, 2020, he committed to playing college basketball for Kansas over offers from Baylor, Georgetown, Arkansas, Texas, Iowa, Texas Tech, and Oklahoma.[5]
| Name | Hometown | High school / college | Height | Weight | Commit date | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| KJ Adams Jr. PF |
Austin, TX | Westlake (TX) | 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) | 225 lb (102 kg) | Jul 31, 2020 | |
Recruiting star ratings: Scout: N/A Rivals: 247Sports: ESPN: ESPN grade: 86 | ||||||
| Overall recruiting rankings: Rivals: 95 247Sports: 85 ESPN: 47 | ||||||
Sources:
| ||||||
College career
Adams played in 37 of Kansas's 40 games during his freshman season and averaged 4.8 minutes played, one point, and 0.8 rebounds per game.[6] He played three total minutes in the Kansas' 72–69 victory in 2022 national championship game against North Carolina and was a defensive substitution for the final possession of the game.[7] Adams entered his sophomore season as the Jayhawks' starting small forward.[8] As a sophomore, he was named Big 12 Most Improved Player and averaged 10.6 points and 4.3 rebounds per game.[9]
Career statistics
| GP | Games played | GS | Games started | MPG | Minutes per game |
| FG% | Field goal percentage | 3P% | 3-point field goal percentage | FT% | Free throw percentage |
| RPG | Rebounds per game | APG | Assists per game | SPG | Steals per game |
| BPG | Blocks per game | PPG | Points per game | Bold | Career high |
College
| Year | Team | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021–22 | Kansas | 37 | 1 | 4.8 | .520 | .000 | .600 | .8 | .3 | .1 | .2 | 1.0 |
| 2022–23 | Kansas | 36 | 36 | 27.4 | .622 | .000 | .607 | 4.3 | 1.9 | .8 | .8 | 10.6 |
| Career | 73 | 37 | 15.9 | .612 | .000 | .606 | 2.5 | 1.1 | .4 | .5 | 5.7 | |
References
- ↑ "Kansas basketball freshman KJ Adams excelled in lacrosse as well". The Salina Journal. June 10, 2021. Retrieved March 1, 2023.
- ↑ "Westlake's K.J. Adams overcomes obstacles, becomes basketball court leader". Austin American-Statesman. April 8, 2020. Retrieved March 1, 2023.
- ↑ "Westlake's K.J. Adams heads 2021 All-Centex boys basketball team". Austin American-Statesman. April 10, 2021. Retrieved March 1, 2023.
- ↑ García, Jake (March 1, 2020). "Westlake's four-star hooper KJ Adams working with former Ehlinger trainer during offseason". KVUE.com. Retrieved March 1, 2023.
- ↑ "K.J. Adams chooses KU Jayhawks basketball over Texas, others". The Kansas City Star. August 1, 2020. Retrieved March 1, 2023.
- ↑ "KU Jayhawks' KJ Adams didn't consider transfer portal". The Kansas City Star. June 7, 2022. Retrieved March 1, 2023.
- ↑ Moore, CJ (February 3, 2023). "'I didn't know, Mom': The force that drives the most improved player in college basketball". The Athletic. Retrieved March 1, 2023.
- ↑ "KU basketball coach Bill Self is happy KJ Adams chose hoops". The Kansas City Star. December 14, 2022. Retrieved March 1, 2023.
- ↑ "🏀 Jayhawk Starters Headline 2023 All-Big 12 Honors for Kansas". Kansas Jayhawks. March 5, 2023. Retrieved March 6, 2023.