Kansas basketball inched one step closer to overtaking Duke for the No. 1 recruiting class in the 2025 cycle on Saturday as four-star forward prospect Bryson Tiller, a top-20 player in the class, chose the Jayhawks over a list of suitors that included Auburn, Indiana and Georgia Tech. Tiller is a 6-foot-10 combo forward of Overtime Elite who ranks as the No. 20 overall player in his class and the No. 6 player at his position, per 247Sports.
“Kansas has a rich history, and they’re known for putting out players at my position,” Tiller told 247Sports while announcing his commitment live. “So I feel like if I go there and do what I need to do, then I will have no problem being the next person up.”
Tiller is the second player from Overtime Elite to commit to Kansas in the last week, joining teammate and friend Samis Calderon, who committed and signed this week during the early signing period. Tiller said his decision was not made based on where his friend signed, but the presence of Calderon in Lawrence next season for him was a nice bonus.
“Samis and I are good friends, so we know how to play off each other pretty well,” Tiller said. “It’s going to be a good experience going out there with him and winning.”
Kansas’ 2025 class is shaping up to be one of its most star-studded of the Bill Self era, both big in name recognition and talent but also in sheer size. The 6-foot-10 Tiller is the largest of the three current signees and considered to be long and rangy for his position with a measured 7-foot-3 wingspan and 9-foot-3 standing reach. Five-star guard signee Daryn Peterson and Calderon, listed 6-foot-5 and 6-foot-8, respectively, also check in big for their respective positions.
“One of his best assets is his ability to rebound the ball, and it’s been a consistent staple at virtually every stop,” 247Sports’ Director of Scouting, Adam Finkelstein, wrote in his evaluation of Tiller last month. “He averaged 8.1 boards in the 2023 UAA and 9.4 during the OTE regular season last year. He lacks the quick vertical pop to be a prototypical shot blocker, but his length and strong frame make him an interior deterrent who is capable of providing some secondary rim protection (1.2 blocks per game in the 2023 UAA and 1.6 in the OTE regular season). Overall, he’s a fundamentally sound and generally reliable team defender, with adequate lateral mobility for his size.”
With Tiller in the fold, KU’s signing class moved to No. 3 overall in the team rankings behind only Duke and UConn for the cycle. The Jayhawks remain in the mix for five-star AJ Dybantsa and may not be done in the cycle, and the addition of Tiller has positioned them to potentially secure the top class in 2025 pending developments in the coming months.
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