Mervyn Lindsay Signs to Play Men's Basketball at Kansas

June 22, 2011

LAWRENCE, Kan. – Kansas men’s basketball coach Bill Self announced Wednesday that guard Mervyn Lindsay has signed a grant-in-aid agreement to attend Kansas and will be a freshman for the 2011-12 season.

Lindsay, 6-5, 180, averaged 15.0 points, 10.2 rebounds and 4.4 assists per game last season for Canyon Springs High School in his hometown of Moreno Valley, Calif. Lindsay was named to the all-area basketball team following his senior year with the Cougars who finished the year with a 17-12 record.

“We are excited to have Merv join our team,” Self said. “He has great potential and has the ability to help us this season. He is a very athletic wing who is a good shooter. Like all the incoming freshmen we have, as Merv gets stronger, he will continue to develop.”

Lindsay plans on arriving in Lawrence in early July to attend the second summer bridge session at KU.

“It feels great (to be a Jayhawk). I am so anxious to get there and start working,” Lindsay said. “I was originally committed to Texas Tech but that ended up not working out. Once that door closed, some more opened and Kansas was one of them. I was shocked. When I was a freshman in high school, every kid dreamed of coming to Kansas. So when Kansas came, I thought that was really serious. I seized the moment, came on a visit and I gelled real well with the guys on and off the court. The visit was off the charts. It was amazing and that sealed the deal.”

In describing his game, Lindsay said, “I can stretch the defense with the three-point shot. I think that is what attracted me most to Coach Self, someone who can do that on a consistent basis. I also bring rebounding (ability), I run the floor and I’m athletic. I’m trying to get more versatile – develop the pull-up game and going off the dribble. That will come. I’m definitely someone who plays his heart out.”

Kansas Newcomers for 2011-12

Braeden Anderson, Fr., F, 6-8, 215, Okotoks, Alberta, Canada (Wilbraham and Monson Academy [Mass.])

Mervyn Lindsay, Fr., F, 6-5, 180, Moreno Valley, Calif. (Canyon Springs HS)

Ben McLemore, Fr., G, 6-5, 185, St. Louis, Mo. (Christian Life Center [Texas])

Naadir Tharpe, Fr., G, 6-0, 170, Worcester, Mass. (Brewster Academy [N.H.])

Jamari Traylor, Fr., F, 6-7, 212, Chicago, Ill. (IMG Academy [Fla.])

Kevin Young, Jr., F, 6-8, 200, Perris, Calif. (Loyola Marymount)