KC Run GMC coach knows all about KU basketball additions Zeke Mayo, Will Thengvall

The KC Run GMC spring and summer youth basketball program — which has sent Gradey Dick, Travis Releford, Tyrel Reed, Brady Morningstar, Conner Teahan and Conner Frankamp to play for Kansas during the Bill Self era — now has two additional graduates headed to Lawrence.

Zeke Mayo, a senior-to-be combo guard who played three years for KC Run GMC coach LJ Goolsby and three seasons at South Dakota State, will be joined on the 2024-25 KU hoops roster by Will Thengvall, a freshman-to-be combo guard out of Kapaun Mt. Carmel High School in Wichita who played one season for KC Run GMC.

Thengvall announced his joining of KU’s program as a preferred walk-on on Tuesday morning on social media site X.

“I told coach (Bill) Self and the guys over there, this is a steal to get Will (as a walk-on),” Goolsby told The Star on Tuesday. He was referring to 6-foot-4, 185-pound Thengvall, who averaged 17.6 points, 7.8 rebounds and 3.5 assists while hitting 42% of his 3-pointers this past season for the Kansas Class 5A state champs.

He was named a top-5 overall player in Kansas, the player of the year in Class 5A, a Wichita Eagle all-metro pick and a first-team all-league pick in the City League.

“I’m not saying he will come in and play right away. But he is a winner, a competitor. He competes every play and will make guys better at practice. He is very talented,” Goolsby said. “I would say he could be like one of the past (walk-ons), Stephen Vinson. He (Vinson) came in as a walk-on and played quite a bit when he got older. By the time all is said and done, Will could do the same.”

Goolsby said Thengvall, a former Kapaun football and basketball player, has been “a difference maker (on the high school and AAU level). He is extremely tough. Coach Self will love that part. He can shoot it. He rebounds, can pass well, has really good IQ. He’s a winner. He averaged almost 30 points a game for Kapaun in the state tournament.”

Thengvall scored 73 points over three state tournament games, 12 more than any other 5A player in the tourney.

“Washburn, Northwest Missouri State, Rockhurst were starting to get involved. Some D-I schools on the East Coast were getting involved,” Goolsby said. “He didn’t want to go to a smaller D-I back east with so many good D-II schools close to home. His ultimate dream was to go to Kansas with his brother going there for track,” Goolsby added.

Thengvall’s twin brother, Nathan, is headed to KU and will compete for the Jayhawks track team in 2024-25.

Mayo an outstanding prospect

Goolsby was also full of praise for Mayo, a 6-4, 185 senior-to-be combo guard out of Lawrence High and South Dakota State. Mayo committed to play at KU through the transfer portal on April 2.

“I’ll be shocked if he doesn’t (contribute a lot). He’s set up to be successful. He is a guy who can shoot it. He can also get it off the bounce. He’s a guy who can score you a bucket,” Goolsby said.

“He can alleviate some of the ball pressure Dajuan (Harris) absorbed last year, help him out (in bringing ball up court). I’m really excited he gets the opportunity to play at KU. His parents get to see him, his family and friends. He’s always dreamt of running out of that tunnel like a lot of kids who grow up in the area,” Goolsby added.

Goolsby said Mayo received great coaching at South Dakota State, thus has developed his game.

“The South Dakota State coaches did a good job of doing their homework in recruiting him,” Goolsby said. “It was crazy. It (his senior year) was during Covid. That was a crazy time for recruiting. Nobody got to see him play. That was our team with Zeke, Tamar Bates and Mark Mitchell. We were really looking forward to getting out on the circuit but had to stay around here.

“We mainly played against ourselves and teams from the area or Nebraska. Nobody got a good feel for him at the time. I was always dumbfounded so many missed out on him,” Goolsby added.

Goolsby says Mayo, who averaged 18.8 points a game this past season and 18.2 ppg during the 2022-23 campaign, has pro potential.

“I could see him playing for money. I think he’ll get a chance to play at the highest level, especially if he learns from Coach Self things he needs to shore up,” Goolsby said. He was good then (for KC Run GMC). He’s gotten so much better, understanding how to play. His confidence has grown a great deal with his success at South Dakota State. It’s what you’d expect of a kid in college two, three years.

“He is just an awesome kid. What is cool is seeing him come out of his shell. He was a shy kid early on. He’s more outgoing in personality, just a phenomenal kid,” Goolsby noted.

These two players can inspire youths

Goolsby said having lifelong Kansans Mayo and Thengvall in Lawrence can help inspire area youngsters who want to play major college ball.

“Any time that happens it shows kids they can have an opportunity in front of them,” Goolsby said. “Depending on where you are in the state …. KU is such a blueblood. Kids are familiar with it and know about KU’s success. There are some pretty cool places to go to school around here.

“The transfer portal makes it difficult on high school kids. It has changed the dynamic of some kids who probably would be recruited (if so many transfers were not available for immediate duty, without sitting out a year). Even D-II’s are waiting to see what will happen to some of the kids in the portal who don’t get recruited (by the high and mid majors),” Goolsby noted.