By: Mark Wasik
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KENNESAW, Ga. – Kennesaw State head basketball coach Antoine Pettway already signed the top freshman recruiting class in school history after just three months on the job, and for a follow-up, he brought in a five-member recruiting class that is the highest-rated class in school history (27th nationally) and is the No. 1 rated class in the nation from a non-power conference.
Joining the Owls for KSU's first year in Conference USA in 2024-25 will be five three-star recruits: Braedan Lue, Ricky McKenzie, Mekhi Turner, Ramone Seals and Adrian Wooley. All five hail from the Southeast, coming from Alabama, Georgia and Florida.
"We're very excited to add these five signees to our program here at Kennesaw State," said Pettway. "These young men not only are really good basketball players, but they also possess high character that will contribute to our already established culture here. I thought our staff did a tremendous job of going out and identifying our needs and then recruiting to those needs. We targeted positional size, skill and versatility, and I feel like we hit a home run with this class in all three categories. We made it an emphasis to jump all in on these guys early and it paid off in a major way."
McKenzie is a local recruit, a 6-5, 205-pound guard from Wheeler High School in Marietta. He was a starter on the Wildcats' 7A state championship team that also featured last year's No. 1 player in the nation (Isaiah Collier). Playing along three players currently at Southern Cal and Iowa State, McKenzie averaged 9.1 points per game while shooting 36% from three-point range. He also played for the adidas-sponsored Atlanta Celtics AAU program.
"Ricky McKenzie is an elite shooter with athleticism and high basketball IQ," said Pettway. "He's a local Cobb County product from one of the best basketball programs in the nation in Wheeler High School and has been coached by a highly respected coach in Larry Thompson. With the way we prioritize the three-point shot in our system, we're looking for him to have an immediate impact on our program. Ricky's a guy that competes at a high level every time he's on the floor and he's a shot maker. We are extremely excited to welcome Ricky and his family to Kennesaw State."
Turner is a 6-9, 205-pound forward from Atlanta, Ga., who earned first-team all-state honors at Maynard Jackson High as a junior. During that season, he averaged a double-double of 16 points and 14 rebounds, along with four blocks per game. Turner played travel ball for Wood Elite where he's been coached by former Owl standout Spencer Dixon.
"Mekhi Turner brings elite athleticism and shot blocking to this recruiting class," said Pettway. "I feel like he's one of the best players in the state of Georgia. His skill level for his position is something that really stood out to us. With the way his motor runs every time he plays, we feel like the sky is the limit for his potential. We're excited to have him and his family as a part of our program going forward."
Seals, a 6-6, 210-point guard from Tampa, Fla., averaged 19 points, seven rebounds and six assists per game a season ago for SLAM! Tampa. He also was named the 2022 Florida 2A District 9 Player of the Year, while also earning a spot on the 2022 Florida 2A All-Tournament First Team. The son of former NFL defensive lineman Ray Seals, he played his club ball with Born To Impact (BTI).
"Ramone Seals is a big, strong, skilled guard, who competes and plays with a high motor," said Pettway. "His ability as a ball handler and passer at his size should give him the opportunity to make an immediate impact in our program. I love his competitive edge and versatility on both ends of the floor as well. We're excited to welcome Ramone and his family to Kennesaw State."
Wooley, a 6-5, 185-point guard and consensus top-two prospect in Alabama, claimed second-team all-state honors while averaging 19.7 points per game as a junior at Paul Bryant High School. He was also named Region Tournament MVP as well as to the state all-tournament team.
"Adrian Wooley is a kid I've known for years as he was a local kid from Tuscaloosa. I recruited him for the University of Alabama before I left. He's been a winner at every level. He plays for Shon Peck-Love, one of the best coaches in the state of Alabama at Paul Bryant High School. His basketball IQ, shooting ability and athleticism are three traits that will translate to Conference USA immediately for us. He's a playmaker with size and versatility. I'm very excited to coach him after seeing his development over the years and can't wait to have him and his family here in our Kennesaw State program."
Lue, a 6-9, 245-pound forward from Douglasville, was the Georgia 6A State Player of the Year as he led Alexander High School to the 6A State Championship title. Averaging 17 points and eight rebounds per contest, Lue also claimed Region Player of the Year and State Championship MVP honors this past season. He played travel ball for Adidas-sponsored Team Huncho.
"Braedan Lue is a prospect we fell in love with after watching him at our team camp. He's from nearby Douglasville and led his Alexander team to a state title last year. He brings size, skill and elite athleticism at the forward spot. He can guard multiple positions on the defensive end and is a rim protector. Offensively, he's capable of scoring at all three levels. He was one of the most highly recruited players in Georgia, but decided to stay home and believe in our vision for him at Kennesaw State. We've loved getting to know he and his family during the recruiting process and can't wait to have him in Black and Gold next season."
