Kansas Transfer Marcus Adams Jr. Explained Why He Chose BYU

PROVO, Utah – BYU basketball secured a commitment from Kansas transfer Marcus Adams Jr. on Saturday.

“Big 12 Spin Back,” wrote Marcus Adams on X.

Big 12 Spin Back💙 #gocougs pic.twitter.com/M3nz8QGqb3

— Marcus Adams Jr (@marcusadams21) September 2, 2023

Adams originally signed with Kansas this past April as part of their 2023 recruiting class. In July, he was enrolled in Lawrence and opted to leave the Jayhawks program.

BYU got into the mix for Adams when he left Kansas, but he ultimately ended up at Gonzaga. Then after a few weeks in Spokane, Adams was looking for a new home.

That new home is at BYU, where Adams is expected to enroll in classes beginning next week when the semester starts.

Adams is a 6-foot-8, 200-pound wing and a Top-50 recruit in the 2023 recruiting class. He prepped at Narbonne High School in California, averaging 28.8 points and 6.8 rebounds per game in his final year of high school play.

Why BYU for Marcus Adams Jr.

Moments after announcing his commitment to BYU on Saturday, Adams hopped on Cougar Sports Saturday on KSL NewsRadio to discuss his decision to commit to BYU.

“What went into this was Coach Cody [Fueger] and Coach [Pope], without the effort they put into this, talking to me and my family every day, reaching a great friendship and it’s just been a couple of weeks,” Adams said to KSL Sports. “They were a big part of this and I thank them a lot. I’m really grateful for them and they are the ones that made it happen.”

Adams said the relationship with Fueger and Pope began two months ago. That was after he left Kansas. Adams didn’t have communication with BYU when he was a prep recruit, so the relationship came together in short order.

Coming into Saturday, BYU had two scholarships available for the 2023-24 season. Adams will occupy one of those scholarships, leaving BYU with remaining.

BYU coach Mark Pope said he was content with his group that he took to Croatia and Italy last month. But he was open to getting a player with an “incredibly high upside.” Adams has an upside that gives BYU a potential impact player if he is given a waiver from the NCAA to play this season.

“I have no clue about that. It’s up to the NCAA,” Adams asked if he could play this season. “Me, coach, and most of the staff are pretty positive on what we can do and what can happen. We have to wait now and stuff is being processed. Hopefully, it goes well and it ends up positive on our end.”

Adams enjoyed his visit to Provo

Adams took an official visit to BYU earlier this week and came away impressed with the campus.

“A beautiful facility, beautiful facilities, the mountains are amazing. That was one of Coach Pope’s favorite things he was telling me. I really love the staff, the energy they brought when I first showed up to take pictures or whether it was the tours, the academic counselors, all those important people. They’re really positive people with great energy. Coming from my situation, it was really great to have that really good group of people that supports you behind your back.”

What about how he fits into the program?

“Coach [Pope] said they like to run a lot and shoot threes. That’s my style of game and what I love to do. They want me to be a decision-maker, they say I make smart decisions on film. … Shoot and I like to pass a lot. That’s one thing about me, I like to pass a lot. I like getting assists.”

Marriott Center virtual reality experience

Adams said he’s already experienced a taste of the excitement from Cougar fans at the Marriott Center. He went through a virtual reality experience of what gamedays are like for a BYU basketball game.

“They told me the fans are amazing. I’ve already seen that as well. I just barely announced [my commitment] two minutes ago, like the whole Cougar Nation is losing their minds. I really like that. It’s really cool that BYU has fan support like that. That means a lot. Fan support is really big in college basketball and BYU has one of the best.”

Mitch Harper is a BYU Insider for sports.ksl.com and host of the Cougar Tracks Podcast (SUBSCRIBE) and Cougar Sports Saturday (Saturday from 12–3 p.m.) on KSL Newsradio. Follow Mitch’s coverage of BYU in the Big 12 Conference on X (Twitter) and Threads: @Mitch_Harper.

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