Kevin Young Joins Kansas Men's Basketball Team
June 17, 2011
LAWRENCE, Kan. – Kansas coach Bill Self announced Friday that forward Kevin Young has joined the KU men’s basketball team. Young, who is eligible immediately, will be a junior at Kansas for the 2011-12 season.
“I thought we definitely needed a playmaker and we were able, at a late date, to fall into Kevin and we couldn’t be happier,” Self said. “He’s 6-8, thin and can play multiple positions. He reminds me a lot of Julian Wright – very bouncy, very athletic. He will most definitely be an impact player for us next season.”
Young, 6-8, 215, was a two-year letterwinner at Loyola Marymount University in 2008-09 and 2009-10 starting 62 of 65 games played for the Lions. The Perris, Calif., native averaged 9.1 points and 7.2 rebounds per game for LMU his freshman season and broke the school’s freshman records with 224 rebounds, 51 steals and 34 blocked shots. Included was a LMU freshman single-game record with 19 rebounds against New Mexico State.
Young averaged 10.7 points and 5.6 rebounds his sophomore year at LMU. He recorded six double-doubles in his two seasons as a Lion. Young sat out as a player last year focusing completely on academics and completed his associate’s degree at San Bernardino Community College. Also during that time he was a volunteer assistant coach at Barstow Community College.
“Kevin played two years at Loyola Marymount, then transferred to a junior college last year to get his academics in order,” Self said. “He graduated from junior college and has two years left to play. We’re really happy. I know he wants to be here. It’s amazing how recruiting works. You work so hard for some guys and don’t get them and sometimes great opportunities just happen to come your way and this is certainly a great opportunity for us.”
“This is a great opportunity for me and I’m looking forward to playing at Kansas,” Young said. “They take a lot of pride in basketball and academics here and I’m ready for that challenge. I’m looking forward to working with my teammates and coaches and becoming a Jayhawk.”
“Last year my focus was on academics and working on my individual game,” Young continued. “I feel I have a lot to contribute to the university and the Kansas basketball program.”
In July 2009, Young, whose mother is Puerto Rican, played for Puerto Rico in the U19 World Championship in Auckland, New Zealand. Young averaged 7.7 points and 5.0 rebounds in the event as Puerto Rico went 5-4. Kansas senior guard Tyshawn Taylor led the USA Men’s U19 Team to the gold medal at the 2009 U19 World Championship, including an 82-61 win against Young’s Puerto Rico squad during the competition.
Young was a prep standout at Perris High School in Perris, Calif. He averaged 16.1 points, 10.8 rebounds and 3.7 blocked shot per game his senior season and recorded a triple-double with 16 points, 17 rebounds and 12 blocked shots against Cajon.
