After visiting the campuses of Kansas, Kansas State and Illinois, Mario Little was facing a big decision. Saturday night the six-foot-five inch wing from Marianna (FL) Chipola junior college decided to end his recruitment and the Chicago native will be a Kansas Jayhawk.
“I committed to Kansas last night,” Little told Phog.Net. “That’s where I’ll be next year, I’m real excited.”
One of the premier junior college prospects in the country, Little is an athletic and attacking wing with a solid mid range game. In Kansas, he saw a school with players he got along with, a coaching staff he liked and perhaps more importantly the opportunity to win early.
“I think it’s the best opportunity for me to come in with some guys that are ready to win a national championship,” said Little. “They have great fans, great tradition and a great coaching staff. I really like the guys there and really I just like that whole Kansas vibe.”
According to Little the recruiting process had become a bit of a distraction as he tried to focus on school and preparing for his sophomore season. With his decision out of the way he’s looking forward to things becoming a little more normal on his end.
“It’s a real pressure release, there had been too much going on,” said Little of the recruiting process. “I’m here trying to concentrate on wining a national championship at Chipola junior college, and going to school. It was kind of crazy with everyone asking what I’ve got going on and what I’m going to do all the time.”
While he sought the counsel of the Chipola staff, family and friends before making a decision, Little says what he felt inside was most important.
“From the beginning I was telling everybody I was going to follow my heart,” said Little. “That’s what I did, so I was really the biggest influence on myself.”
Although his arrival in Lawrence is still a year away and he’s got some business to take care of at Chipola, Little is excited that his hard work has paid off and says that Kansas fans can expect a genuine person and a team player.
“I’m a real nice guy, a genuine guy who tries to keep a smile on my face. I’m a real team player. I’m not selfish and I’ll do whatever the coach asks me to do,” said Little. “I figured that if I came in and worked hard that things would work out. I did that and now I think things have fallen into place and I’ve gotten what I deserve.”