:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/14862309/1363465950_6169_rio01.0.jpg)
Jim Christian has plenty of reasons to smile. He's got a great job, a loving wife and recently landed a highly touted recruit for the 2014 recruiting class. But Sunday night there was only one reason for Christian's smile: Anrio 'Rio' Adams.
Jim Christian has reason to smile (w/ Anrio Adams) RT @HumbleDriven #BobcatNation!!! #Believe pic.twitter.com/u19YVXcmiR
— Jason Arkley (@JasonAmessenger) June 16, 2013
News broke Saturday night, via ESPN's newly acquired Jeff Goodman, that the highly touted Kansas guard had selected to transfer to Ohio more than two months after making it known he was leaving Kansas.
If you're not familiar with Adams, here's a little crash course. The 6-foot-3, 190-pound guard just finished his freshman season under Bill Self with the Kansas Jayhawks. He was utilized sparingly (appearing in just 24 games to be specific), buried in the depth chart behind stud freshman guard Ben McLemore and seniors Elijah Johnson and Travis Releford. But before arriving in Lawrence, Kan., last season Adams was considered one of the nations top recruits.
Rivals.com listed him as 4-star recruit and one of the top-100 players in the 2012 recruiting class. The Seattle, Wash., native had offers from nearly every PAC-12 school, Gonzaga, Texas and Pittsburgh coming out of high school but selected Kansas.
But Adams made it well known he wasn't happy with his lack of playing time in Self's system last season, venting his frustrations over Twitter before a game against Oklahoma drawing criticisms from his head coach.
When Adams made it official that he was transferring in early April, speculation about where he might go centered around him landing somewhere in the Pacific Northwest, near his home. But no one seemed to have Ohio on the radar, making the talented guards decision that much more of a steal for Ohio.
Known in some circles as the 'GIF Maker', Adams will have to sit out next season due to NCAA transfer regulations, but despite his inability to play in 2013-2014, he should still provide the team with plenty of highlights.
between Stevie Taylor and Anrio Adams, Ohio could have the best dancing guards in the MAC
— Ian Tayek (@AK_BigChief) June 16, 2013
Known for his spontaneous and goofy personality Adams became a bit of an internet sensation during the 2013 season for things like this:
and this:
Adams is a great addition for an Ohio program that has been on the rise over the past few seasons and just finished a successful first year transition under Christian. When he's able to take the court in the 2014-2015 season Adams will have three years of eligibility remaining, while fellow Ohio guards 'Bean' Willis and Stevie Taylor will have one year left each.