Kansas 5-Star Target Julius Randle Calls NC State Visit "Best Visit Yet"

Bill Self has already compiled one of the nation's best 2013 recruiting classes with Wayne Selden, Conner Frankamp, and Brannen Greene.

However, the 10th-year coach is looking to add one more player and hopes that player is 5-star power forward Julius Randle, but Self must fend off North Carolina State coach Mark Gottfried.

Randle, a 6'9" big man out of Prestonwood Christian Academy (Plano, Texas), is a former teammate of Zach Peters.  Peters left the KU program in November following constant battles with head and shoulder injuries.

While the KU class is deep, talented and features a 7'0" center in Joel Embiid, they lack a bruising forward and could suffer from frontcourt depth next season with the departure of Jeff Withey and Kevin Young.

Randle has taken three official visits to Kentucky, Florida, and North Carolina State thus far and has scheduled additional visits to Kansas and Texas. Following his visit to Raleigh last week for the Wolfpack's victory over North Carolina, it appears Gottfried has the the unofficial leg-up for his services.

"I got there late Thursday night and overall I think it was my best visit yet so far as official visits go," Randle told Rivals.com. "I got to hang out with Rodney (Purvis) a lot and he's one of my best friends. So that was good."

He is ranked as the No. 2 player in the country by Rivals just behind Andrew Wiggins, who Self is also courting.