Micah Downs commits to Kansas

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Former butte high star Micah Downs has given a verbal commitment to play for Kansas starting in the 2005-2006 year. I saw Micah play about a year and a-half ago and would not have expected he was Kansas material. No slam intended, I thought he would be a great Big Sky PLayer if he kept improving but an elite player would have been a stretch. It looks like he has really done well over in Washington and I wish him luck!

Micah Downs, one of the top recruits on the West Coast in the Class of 2005, is no longer uncommitted. After taking an official visit to Kansas, Downs ended his recruitment.

The state of Washington keeps churning out big time prospects and this time around, Kansas landed one of them. On Monday, Micah Downs, a 6-7 ½ forward out of Bothell, committed to be a Jayhawk.

“I just knew that Kansas was the right place for me to go,” Downs said. “You get that feeling and I just thought that Coach Self would be the best coach for me and that’s pretty much how I decided.”

Downs said that he also considered Duke and Gonzaga.

The talented wing averaged 19 points and 11 rebounds last season. On the spring traveling team circuit, he demonstrated the ability to play multiple perimeter positions and do it with skill. A gifted passer and shot maker, Downs also plays hard at both ends. He’ll debut in TheInsiders.com’s pre-summer Top 15 at the end of the week.

A sense of belonging to a family brought Downs and Bill Self together. “They were just being ‘Kansas.’ With the tradition and everything and Coach Self is into the family stuff, just not being a part of the basketball. He wants my family, his family and the rest of the players and coaches family to be a part of each other.”