The pick is in: Gradey Dick commits to Kansas
Just moments ago, Gradey Dick, the 6-foot-7, 195-pound small forward from Sunrise Christian Academy in Bel Aire, Kan., verbally committed to Bill Self and Kansas. Currently, Dick, a four-star prospect, is the No. 33 ranked player in the 2022 class and 8th best small forward.
Dick, throughout his recruitment, received scholarship offers from the likes of Kansas, Alabama, Baylor, Florida, Illinois, Oklahoma State, Purdue, Texas Tech, Colorado, Creighton, Iowa State, Kansas State, Nebraska, Northwestern, Oklahoma, Texas A&M, Wichita State, and Xavier, along with interest from Duke, Maryland, North Carolina, Texas and others.
However, when the dust finally settled, just eight programs, Kansas, Alabama, Baylor, Florida, Illinois, Oklahoma State, Purdue, and Texas Tech were left standing for Dick.
On February 24, Dick announced that he would be announcing his college decision on March 3, and most believed that Kansas would ultimately win out for his services. Well, that’s exactly how his recruitment played out just moments ago.
On Wednesday night, Dick became the second player from the 2022 class to verbally commit to Kansas. Kyle Cuffe, Jr., the 6-foot-2, 173-pound shooting guard from Blair Academy in Blairstown, N.J., verbally committed to Kansas back on December 19, 2020.
Kansas was the first big-time program to extend a scholarship offer from Dick.
There isn’t a school left on his list that has recruited Dick as long as Bill Self and Kansas. Additionally, Norm Roberts has done an outstanding job building a strong relationship with Dick and his family.
Obviously, one school that Dick is already more than familiar with is the University of Kansas. He’s been on campus a handful of times, has seen quite a few games inside Allen Fieldhouse, and has built a strong relationship with the coaching staff.
Furthermore, his family has strong ties to the school as well.
“Yeah, two,” said Dick when asked how many siblings have graduated from Kansas, back on December 30, 202. “My brother and my sister graduated and I have another sibling that is a junior at Kansas. Coach (Norm) Roberts is always in contact with me. Coach Roberts probably contacts me like every day and then Coach (Bill) Self probably like every week.
“No, it is cool as obviously, a hometown kid,” he added when asked what it is like to hear from Bill Self. “And the thing that makes it really cool is just how early they offered, because it was, I think my summer going into sophomore year. So just the fact that they saw that in me at early age, which is pretty huge.”
This season, Dick, who is teammates with Kansas signee Zach Clemence, is averaging 9.3 points, 2.8 rebounds, 1.3 assists, and 1.4 steals per game.