Kansas Inks Naadir Tharpe to National Letter of Intent for Men's Basketball

Nov. 15, 2010

LAWRENCE, Kan. –

University of Kansas men’s basketball coach Bill Self announced Monday that Naadir Tharpe has signed a national letter of intent to play at KU starting with the 2011-12 season.

A point guard from Brewster Academy in Wolfeboro, N.H., Tharpe is 6-0, 170-pounds. A native of Worcester, Mass., Tharpe averaged 13 points and six assists a game last season for 35-5 national prep champion Brewster. He played AAU basketball for the New England Playaz last spring and summer. Tharpe was a standout at St. Peter-Marian High School before heading to Brewster two years ago.

“We are all very excited about Naadir,” Self said. “We feel so fortunate that we were able to sign him. Even though we got involved recruiting him late, we saw him play a ton over the last couple of summers. He reminds me so much of Aaron Miles. He’s a good solid point guard, quick, athletic and has become a very good shooter. I really believe he will be a great addition to our program.”

Tharpe is ranked as the No. 72 overall player by ESPNU 100, No. 91 by Rivals.com and No. 94 by Scout.com.

“He comes out of a program at Brewster, much like we got with Tyshawn Taylor, in that Brewster won the national championship last year like Tyshawn’s team did his senior year at Saint Anthony’s,” Self said. “To have two players in our program that have won national championships will be great for us.”

“(Brewster coach) Jason Smith is one of the best coaches out there and to have another young man out of his program is great for us as Thomas Robinson was Naadir’s teammate during Naadir’s sophomore season,” Self said. “Naadir is a true point guard and the better players you have around him, the better he will play.”

Kansas Men’s Basketball 2010 Fall Signees

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