Canadian basketball phenom and Thornhill, Ont., native Andrew Wiggins has chosen the University of Kansas as his NCAA destination. Wiggins, ranked as the No. 1 college basketball recruit in North America, passed on offers from Florida State, Kentucky and North Carolina prior to announcing his decision to take his talents to Kansas, a basketball program rich in history. James Naismith, the Canadian inventor of basketball, was the school’s first-ever basketball coach and laid the foundation of the Jayhawks’ storied program.
Following his freshman year at Vaughan Secondary School in Maple, Ont., Wiggins transferred to Huntington Prep in West Virginia where his sensational athletic ability and awe-inspiring basketball skills were on full display against some of the top high school players in the country. “He had a really good coach in Rob Fulford, and he not only got to play with a lot of other really good players but he also got to play against great competition,” commented Jayhawks assistant coach Kurtis Townsend.
The 6-foot-8, 18-year-old small forward averaged a remarkable 23.4 points and 11.2 rebounds per game in his senior year, earning him the 2013 Naismith Prep Player of the Year award as well as the 2013 Gatorade National Boys Basketball Player of the Year accolade. The shy, laid-back hardwood prodigy also suited up in post-season all-star games that included the McDonald’s All-American Game and the Jordan Brand Classic. After announcing his NCAA decision, Wiggins expressed his gratitude and admiration for Huntington Prep and the surrounding community in an open letter. Without their guidance and support, he wrote, none of this would have been possible. “I hope that when you hear or read my name, you are proud to say I played my high school days here in Huntington. Because I am proud to say I played here.”
Initially slated to be a top recruit for 2014, Wiggins announced in October 2012 that he would reclassify into his original high school class of 2013 and was immediately placed at the top of the college basketball recruiting rankings.
“He’s going to have a big target on his back because he is the No. 1 player and he’s got
all the hype surrounding him,” said Townsend. “He played against some of the best teams in the country (at Huntington Prep). His feel for the game and athleticism is just second to none and he has a knack for scoring the basketball.”
Kansas’s athletic facilities are considered to be among the best in college basketball, offering Wiggins all of the necessary tools in order to polish his game. Wiggins will also find himself under the tutelage of one of the most respected college basketball coaches in the country. Recognized as a tremendous teacher of the game, Bill Self is known for grooming budding players into NBA-calibre stars.
“Kansas is one of the elite teams in the nation. Coach Self is the winningest coach in the last decade and he knows how to win. Andrew is a winner and he really liked Coach Self,” stated Huntington Prep assistant coach David Meddings. “Kansas is an elite program and will continue to be. Andrew’s a special player and person. He chose Kansas and it was a great decision.”
Wiggins comes from a family of top-tier athletes. Both his parents attended Florida State University, where his father Mitchell played basketball before beginning his NBA career. His mother Marita Payne-Wiggins was a sprinter who won a silver medal for Canada at the 1984 Olympics in Los Angeles. His eldest brother, Mitchell Jr., currently plays for Southeastern University, while his other older brother, Nick, plays basketball at nearby Wichita State University.
“I think anytime you have that type of support, there is a comfort level. When you see guys in front of you, either older brothers or your dad doing it, there is a comfort level with what you can accomplish,” said Townsend.
Wiggins has maintained his commitment to Canadian basketball and is planning to represent Canada’s senior men’s national team in the near future. Wiggins is projected to be the No. 1 overall pick in next year’s NBA draft, a feat that no Canadian basketball player has ever accomplished. The only question that remains is how high this Canadian basketball star will soar.
“I think he’s a smart enough kid and a good enough athlete that he’ll be able to be successful,” says Townsend. “I think he can be the face of Canada’s national basketball team and is a young man we can all be very proud of.”
