Kansas State Basketball: Levi Stockard commits to Wildcats

Kansas State basketball received their third 2017 commitment this week.

Kansas State head coach Bruce Weber continues to fight for talent even as his seat gets hotter in Manhattan.

On Monday, he grabbed St. Louis power forward Levi Stockard. This is an important commit regardless of Weber’s future, as the team is extremely young in the front court. Stockard, a three-star recruit, should be an immediate depth piece based on the current scholarship chart. He chose Kansas State over Xavier.

At 6’8″, 250 pounds, Stockard is tremendously built for his age. His size will be a huge asset in fighting against Big 12 front courts. He is currently rated as the 71st best power forward in the nation and 6th best in Missouri. Getting a prospect from your local region is always a boost to morale.

His commitment also pushes Kansas State’s current 2017 class rating into 6th among Big 12 programs.

I think it’s safe to say that Stockard will be a competitor for minutes early in his career. The Wildcats graduate three guys that currently stand at 6’6″. They do have some young bigs centered around current sophomore Dean Wade, but behind him there are just three freshman.

The 2017 class also brings in power forward Nigel Shadd from Arizona. Shadd is smaller, but has a higher national rating. The two will bring different things to the table when they arrive in Manhattan.

Stockard’s commitment is partially dependent on Coach Weber’s future with KSU. It is always difficult to know if prospects want to stick with a program should a coaching change occur, but that is speculation for another time.

Right now, Stockard should be seen as a recruiting boost, both from a talent and geography perspective. 4-star point guard Darien Jackson from Overland Park, KS should be the next big target on KSU’s board. Keep an eye on the Wildcats as they continue to recruit for Big 12 success.