Why did Tristan Enaruna give the nod to Kansas?
Coming off official visits to Miami (FL), Creighton, and Kansas, Tristan Enaruna, the 6-foot-9, 205-pound small forward from Wasatch Academy in Mount Pleasant, Utah, didn’t take long to reach a final decision regarding his future.
Enaruna, the No. 44 ranked player in the 2019 class, officially visited Kansas on April 28 and, earlier today, became the third player from the 2019 class to give the nod to Bill Self and the Jayhawks.
When the dust finally settled, why did Enaruna, a four-star prospect, commit to Kansas over Creighton and Miami (FL)?
“I always, you know, wanted to play on a big team,” said Enaruna. “When KU started to recruit me, they’d been recruiting me very hard, so we kind of built a relationship, me and them. I really like Coach (Bill) Self and I think, you know, he will be able to help me become the player I really want (to become).
“I think that I’m overall just a great fit for that team,” he added.
Enaruna, who made the jump from the No. 105 ranked player in the 2019 class to No. 44 earlier today, arrived at Wasatch Academy in Mount Pleasant, Utah, from the Netherlands midway through his junior year.
Not surprisingly, being away from the home for the first time, and in a new environment that was unfamiliar to him, was quite an adjustment.
“It was pretty hard at the beginning,” he said. “I had never been away from home for that long, so it was an adjustment and it took me some time to get used to everything here. There are good people around the school and on my team and stuff.
“The coach was good to me, so basically everybody just gave me a warm welcome, so it made it easier for me,” he added.
By the time his senior year at Wasatch Academy had ended, Enaruna had emerged as one of the fastest rising prospects in the 2019 class. In all, the four-star prospect received scholarship offers from the likes of Kansas, Creighton, Georgia Tech, Grand Canyon, Illinois, Miami (FL), Texas Tech, and others.
After narrowing his list of schools to three, Kansas, Creighton, and Miami (FL), and officially visiting all three, Enaruna, on Tuesday, put an end to his recruitment by committing to Kansas.
Just moments ago, Enaruna talked about his game and what to expect on the hardwood.
“Right now, I would say that I’m 6-foot-9,” he said. “I’m 6-foot-9 and weigh 205-pounds right now. I think one of the most noticeable things about me is versatility. I can play different positions and guard different positions. I can do a lot of different stuff on the court. I like to handle the ball and, you know, get my teammates involved.
“I really like to pass,” he added. “A lot of people think that I’m really looking to score a lot, but I love passing. Scoring is another thing that is one of my other strengths. Scoring in general, post up or jump shots, shooting threes, and I really like to run the pick-and-roll. I’m kind of like a play maker.”
When talking about his game, is there any one player in particular that Enaruna tries to model his game after?
“I really like LeBron’s (James) leadership,” he said. “That’s what I’m trying to develop a little bit. Lately, I’ve been watching a lot of Paul George and Giannis Antetokounmpo, because I think that with my length and skillset, there are things about them that I can take away and will really help me out in my development as a basketball player.”
There was a point in time when it looked like Creighton was the team to beat for Enaruna. The staff did an unbelievable job recruiting the talented forward for a long period of time and, in doing so, had built a strong relationship.
However, when Kansas got involved, extended a scholarship and scheduled a visit, the landscape of his recruitment began to change. On Tuesday night, Enaruna touched on his feelings about Coach Self and the University of Kansas men’s basketball program.
“He’s one of the best coaches to ever coach the game of basketball,” he said. “That’s obviously one thing that I’m really excited about. The guys are really good teammates. When I met them, we had a really good time and obviously, the fans are amazing.
“I always dreamed of playing in front of a big stage like this, so I’m very excited for that,” he added.