Nov. 15, 2007

LAWRENCE, Kan. - University of Kansas men's basketball coach Bill Self announced Thursday an addition to the KU fall recruiting class with Quintrell Thomas from New Jersey signing a national letter of intent to play at Kansas.

Thomas is a 6-8, 235-pound, forward who averaged nine points and 7.5 rebounds for Saint Patrick High School in Elizabeth, N.J., last season. His team finished 30-2 on the season and ended the year ranked No. 2 in the country by USA Today. This past summer Thomas averaged 22 points and 12 rebounds for the New Jersey Elite AAU team. Thomas is rated No. 92 by scout.com and chose Kansas over Rutgers and UNLV.

"Quintrell Thomas is an athletic, quick twitched, prototypical power forward," Self said. "His offensive game is one that is expanding. Quintrell has played for one of the very best high school basketball programs in the country at Saint Pats. Last year they finished number two in the country and this year they have a chance to be one of the best again.

"Quintrell will give us an element of toughness and his defensive rebounding will be something we look to early in his career," Self said.

Thomas joins a trio of KU signees this fall. Included are twin standouts Markieff and Marcus Morris from Philadelphia and junior college transfer Mario Little of Chicago.

Kansas Men's Basketball Fall Signees

Mario Little - 6-5, 210, G/F, Chicago, Ill. (Washington HS/Chipola [Fla.] CC)

Marcus Morris - 6-8 ½, 220, F, Philadelphia, Pa. (Prep Charter HS/APEX Academy [N.J.])

Markieff Morris - 6-10, 230, F/C, Philadelphia, Pa. (Prep Charter HS/APEX Academy [N.J.])

Quintrell Thomas - 6-8, 235, F, Elizabeth, N.J. (Saint Patrick HS)