by Fitzgerald Cecilio

Lawrence, KS

Andrew Wiggins, the nation's top recruit, has selected the Kansas as his college destination and stepping stone to his dream of making it to the NBA.

Wiggins, who picked Kansas over Florida State, Kentucky and North Carolina, is expected to create an immediate impact for the Jayhawks, who will play without five starters from their last season's Sweet 16 squad.

Wiggins, a 6-8 forward from Huntington Prep in West Virginia, won the American Family Insurance USA Today Player of the Year after scoring 23.4 points and grabbed 11.2 rebounds per game this season.

"Obviously, everyone in Jayhawk-land is overwhelmed and excited today," Kansas coach Bill Self said in a statement. "This was a pleasant surprise because we never had an idea which way he was leading. Andrew did this the exact way he said he was going to."

"I knew we were one of four. The competition was very stiff and we were fortunate that we were able to ink him today. He's a tremendous talent and a terrific kid. Probably an even better kid than he is a talent," Self added.

Self said Wiggins will bring athleticism, length and scoring ability to the Jayhawks, who now have the No. 2 recruiting class in the country behind Kentucky.

Wiggins will be thrown into action early after the Jayhawks lost all of their five starters from last year's Sweet 16 squad, including freshman standout Ben McLemore, who averaged 15.9 points and 5.0 rebounds per game.

McLemore has decided to join the June's NBA draft where he could go as high as No. 2 while Jeff Withey, Travis Releford and Elijah Johnson played their senior year last season.

Self will have sophomores Perry Ellis and Jamari Traylor and junior guard Naadir Tharpe as the significant returnees from last year's team.

Aside from Wiggins, the Jayhawks also have two other five-star recruits in center Joel Embiid and wing Wayne Selden and two top-50 prospects in guard Conner Frankamp and forward Brannen Greene.

"We need to have a great recruiting class because we lost so many guys on a team that did pretty well this year," Self said.

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Top Prep Basketball Recruit Andrew Wiggins Joins Kansas