Udoka Azubuike to Kansas: Jayhawks Land 4-Star Center Prospect

Udoka Azubuike, the star recruit from Jacksonville, Florida, will add a lot of size to Kansas starting in 2016. 

According to ESPNU on Twitter (h/t JayhawkSlant), Azubuike gave the Jayhawks his college commitment after being one of the most sought-after big men in the country. 

Few high school players are built like Azubuike. The Potter's House Christian Academy standout is listed at 6'11", 265 pounds and is a 4-star prospect and the third-ranked center in the 2016 recruiting class, per 247Sports.

Even though Azubuike's style of play doesn't exactly fit today's era of basketball with versatile big men who can play inside or outside, the young center is so big and dominant in the paint that he can be a force. 

Rivals.com's Eric Bossi noted how impressive Azubuike looked close to the basket during June's NBPA Top 100 camp:

While basketball changes, with college and pro teams gearing toward a fast-paced style, there is always going to be room for a traditional big man who can play in the paint. Willie Cauley-Stein and Jahlil Okafor found great success at Kentucky and Duke, respectively, living in the middle. 

The Jayhawks and head coach Bill Self badly needed some good news, as the current team has lost three of its last five games after starting the year 14-1. 

Adding Azubuike to his recruiting class for next season gives Self a foundation piece to help sell other high schoolers. It's still early in the process for incoming 2016 freshmen, but the Jayhawks came into Thursday with just one commitment for next season. 

Now, Kansas knows it will have one of the nation's best big men coming to Lawrence. The Big 12 has started to catch up with the program this season, with Oklahoma and West Virginia looking like national title contenders. 

The Jayhawks need a big recruiting class to remind everyone they still control the conference and will for a long time to come. 

Azubuike will have to prove himself at his new home in 2016 to reach the highs those two big men were able to achieve, but there's no denying the talent of this young man and why he is regarded as one of the nation's best prospects.