High school senior basketball power forward from Houston sets visit date to Kansas

John Clark, a 6-foot-9, 230-pound senior basketball power forward from Link Year Academy in Branson, Missouri, will make an official recruiting trip to Kansas on Oct. 11-13, he told several recruiting services.

A native of Houston, Clark, who has a final list of KU, Houston, Ohio State, Oklahoma, Texas A&M and Texas, will visit Ohio State on Oct. 4. He’s already visited Texas, Texas A&M and Houston.

He is ranked No. 40 in the class of 2025 by ESPN, No. 45 by 247Sports and No. 54 by Rivals.

“John Clark has a strong frame with nice length. Listed around 6-9 (with a 7-foot wingspan), he can knock down a shot and rebound his area. All of this gives him a relatively high floor as he continues to progress in levels,” wrote Jamie Shaw of On3.com. “He is a solid straight-line athlete. He can knock down a pick-and-pop shot and is comfortable when his feet are set with solid balance points and a consistent release. He is a nice player who does some translatable things.”

Clark played AAU basketball for the TJ Ford Elite program in Texas.

“He is a budding versatile big man with inside-out tools,” wrote Adam Finkelstein of 247Sports. “Already 230 pounds, Clark has broad shoulders and a naturally strong frame, and is only going to continue to expand in the coming years. Clark is athletically gifted for a player this size, able to run the floor with fluid strides and elevate with ease inside the lane.

“Clark has naturally soft hands and touch, as well as some agility for his size. ... However, he’s often inefficient with his face-up game right now because of his tendency to hunt highlight plays or unnecessarily over-complicate things. Inside, Clark has clear potential with his back to the basket too, and yet lacks a reliable go-to move. He can also fade away from contact a bit, instead of going right through it. He has a wealth of potential as a roller when he’s paired with more dynamic guards.”

His best asset, Finkelstein continued, “may be his rebounding.”

“Clark is a very intriguing long-term prospect because his rebounding is a translatable niche from day one,” Finkelstein added. “He has all the tools to be a very versatile offensive threat as he continues to get stronger and become more efficient.”

KU basketball recruiting at a glance

KU has not yet received any commitments from players in the recruiting class of 2025. High school seniors who have visited KU since the start of first semester classes and remain uncommitted: Sebastian Williams-Adams, a 6-8 forward from St John’s High School in Houston; AJ Dybantsa, a 6-9 forward from Utah Prep Academy in Manti, Utah and Eric Reibe, a 7-0 forward from Bullis School in Potomac, Maryland.

London Jemison, a 6-8 small forward from St. Thomas More in West Hartford, Connecticut, who has visited KU, committed to Alabama.

Darryn Peterson, a 6-5 senior combo guard from Huntington Prep, who visited KU in July, remains uncommitted.

Seniors who recently elected to cancel visits to KU: Tounde Yessoufou, a 6-5 forward from St. Joseph High in Santa Maria, California; Hudson Greer, a 6-7 forward, from Montverde (Florida) Academy and Jalen Haralson, a 6-7 forward from La Lumiere School in LaPorte, Indiana.

Isaiah Denis, a 6-4 guard from Davidson Day High in Davidson, North Carolina, and Kaden Magwood, a 6-3 guard from Combine Academy in Lincolnton, North Carolina, are slated to visit KU on Oct. 18-20.

KU also is planning on setting up visit date for Niko Bundalo, a 6-10 forward, formerly of Western Reserve Academy in Hudson, Ohio, now at Prolific Prep in California.