The past few weeks have been nothing short of a nightmare for Kansas Jayhawks fans. From crushing losses to Houston and Baylor to missing out on five-star recruit Caleb Wilson, head coach Bill Self’s start to the new year has been filled with disappointment. And just when it seemed like Kansas could bounce back on the recruiting trail, another major setback struck.
This weekend, the Blue Devils rolled out the red carpet for Highland School, Virginia standout Nate Ament, another elite five-star forward who could make Duke’s 2025 recruit class even more stacked. But before stepping into Cameron Indoor Stadium, Ament was in Knoxville, catching the electric Tennessee-Kentucky showdown. His top 11 features powerhouses like Duke, Tennessee, Kentucky, Kansas State, and more, making the race for his commitment more intense than ever. This trip to Durham might just give one college an edge!
Then came the real shocker. On3’s Joe Tipton reported on Monday that Ament has officially canceled his last scheduled visit. He was set to check out Bill Self and his Kansas Jayhawks on Feb. 11 for their matchup against Arizona. With Ament planning to finalize his recruitment by February or March, the timing of this decision is no coincidence.
5 Nate Ament has canceled his upcoming visit to Kansas State, source told @On3Recruits.https://t.co/8PskGlnJdv https://t.co/QJqc4f0Vkh pic.twitter.com/yeGVJRxroI
— Joe Tipton (@TiptonEdits) February 3, 2025
If you ask me what adds fuel to the speculation? Less than 24 hours before news broke about him rejecting a visit to Kansas State, Ament took to social media to share photos from his Duke visit—talk about a major hint!
After missing out on both Caleb Wilson and Alijah Arenas, Kansas turned its full attention to Ament, hoping to secure at least another elite five-star talent to team up with Darryn Peterson. But with Ament now out of the picture, the Jayhawks and coach Bill Self find themselves scrambling for alternatives in the 2025 recruiting class.
Well, this isn’t the only setback for Bill Self and the Jayhawks. After missing out on top recruits, Kansas has now taken a hit in the national rankings as well.
Bill Self and co suffer a slide in rankings
Bill Self’s Kansas squad made history, but not the kind they’d want to remember. The Jayhawks crumbled under pressure, blowing a massive 21-point lead against Baylor to suffer a crushing 70-81 defeat. This now stands as the worst blown lead in the program’s storied history, surpassing their infamous 20-point collapse against No. 1 Arizona back in 2003.
“They were great the second half, we were beyond pitiful,” “And in the second half we didn’t have anything going. We struggled against soft … pressure, again, and then we couldn’t guard them. And they were good. I mean, those guards were really good. But we couldn’t guard them, and then the building got into it, and then we didn’t have any answers.” said a disappointed Self after blowing the biggest lead in program history. As if the historic collapse wasn’t painful enough, Kansas took another hit—this time in the rankings. The Jayhawks tumbled five spots in the latest AP Poll, now sitting at No. 16.
Nate Ament’s decision to cancel his Kansas visit after experiencing Duke’s electric atmosphere only adds to Bill Self’s rough week. With top recruits slipping away and a painful drop in the rankings, the Jayhawks are feeling the heat. Stay tuned for more updates!
The post Double Blow for Bill Self as 5-Star Recruit Rejects Kansas’ Offer Shortly After Duke Visit appeared first on EssentiallySports.