Trent Perry Could Follow the Path of Two Kansas Basketball Legends

New Kansas commit Trent Perry is looking to follow in the footsteps of a pair of recent Jayhawk stars.

Kansas head coach Bill Self looks on during a college basketball game against Missouri at the Allen Fieldhouse on Dec. 9, 2023, in Lawrence, Kan. | Abigail Landwehr/Tribune / USA TODAY NETWORK

The Kansas basketball coaching staff made it clear what its vision for new commit Trent Perry was when he took his official visit to campus and went through the recruitment process.

Bill Self and Co. want him to evolve into the archetype of a player that a pair of KU legends were prior to their stardom.

Coming out of high school, neither Ochai Agbaji (Oak Park Class of 2018) nor Christian Braun (Blue Valley Northwest Class of 2019) was highly rated. During this time, though, the program often had to rely on regional talent and developmental pieces over one-and-done phenoms due to the controversy surrounding the 2017 FBI probe into college basketball corruption.

Therefore, Self banked on under-the-radar prospects like these, and it couldn't have turned out any better for both parties once they guided him to his second national title in 2022.

Believe it or not, Perry, Agbaji, and Braun are similar in several ways. For starters, they all played for the Kansas City-based grassroots program MoKan Elite on the Nike EYBL circuit to boost their stock.

All of them were ranked well outside the top 100 in national recruiting rankings, and they even carried comparable physical frames out of high school. Perry stands at 6-foot-5, 190 pounds, strikingly similar to Agbaji (6-foot-5, 195 pounds) and Braun (6-foot-5, 175 pounds).

Jan 5, 2021; Fort Worth, Texas, USA; Kansas Jayhawks guard Christian Braun (2) and guard Ochai Agbaji (30) celebrate during the first half against the TCU Horned Frogs at Ed and Rae Schollmaier Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images | Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images

Although this could be nothing more than a coincidence, it is clear that their development was a major element of the school's recruiting pitch. Perry indirectly referenced the two former Jayhawks in a recent interview following his commitment.

"Even though they started recruiting me late, there has already been so much proof of (Self) being a great coach, and he's a winner and great developer," Perry said to 247 Sports.

"He's brought in players that were a lot like me; maybe not ranked and rated as high, but he's developed them, and they have the skillset and mindset kind of like me, and now they are in the League. I feel like I could become one of those guys in the years under him."

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With an extraordinary 7-foot-1 wingspan, Perry is capable of guarding multiple positions as a point of attack defender. He is known for his gritty, hustle-first playstyle that will undoubtedly make him a fan favorite in Allen Fieldhouse.

Despite Perry's current offensive limitations, he primarily excels as a cutter and in transition around the rim.

The coaching staff sees something that other schools didn't in Perry's game. If they were willing to bring him on board to the 2026 class with so many other big names available, they obviously view him very highly.

Only time will tell if Perry can become even half of the players Agbaji and Braun were in Lawrence. But assuming he buys into Self's system and puts in the work, he has the tools to transform into a perfect glue guy after a few years.