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Former Kansas guard Anrio Adams transfers to Ohio University

CBE Hall Of Fame Classic

KANSAS CITY, MO - NOVEMBER 19: Rio Adams #2 of the Kansas Jayhawks controls the ball during the CBE Hall of Fame Classic game against the Washington State Cougars at Sprint Center on November 19, 2012 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images)

Jamie Squire

On Saturday evening, ESPN’s Jeff Goodman reported that Kansas guard Anrio Adams would be transferring to Ohio University. Per NCAA rules, Adams will be forced to sit out for the 2013-14 season. Just finishing his freshman year though, Adams will have three years of eligibility remaining for Jim Christian.

This news comes as no surprise for Kansas fans as Adams made it known during his first year in Lawrence that he believed he should be seeing more minutes on the floor. The problem? An NBA lottery pick Ben McLemore, senior point guard Elijah Johnson, and Naadir Tharpe were all ahead of him in the rotation. As a result, Adams saw limited action playing just 83 minutes all season in 24 games averaging just 1.1 points per game.

While Adams was frustrated at times during his first year in the college game, he was all smiles yesterday officially committing to Ohio.

Although he played sparingly, this is a significant addition to the Ohio program for Jim Christian. Hailing from Seattle, Adams’ transfer to Ohio came as a surprise to some who believed he’d transfer back home to his native state. His commitment to the Bobcats speaks volumes to how far this program has come in recent years. Ohio was always a competitive program under the tutelage of Tim O’Shea, but were put on the map by current Illinois coach John Groce who won three NCAA Tournament games in his four years at Ohio.

Given Adams’ remarks when he announced his decision to transfer, it’s safe to say Christian made quite the impression on Adams: “I feel like going home and playing closer is better for me and my family,” Adams said. “This was definitely a family decision and it was a decision I wanted to do that would be best for my situation.”

Under Christian, Ohio went 24-10 last year. Landing Adams, along with highly regarded 2014 recruit Tariq Owens -- a 6-foot-9 forward out of Laurel, MD -- Christian is capitalizing on the success of his predecessors.

While it is difficult to say much about his game given his lack of playing time last season, Adams was considered a Top 100 recruit by Rivals in the class of 2013, and held offers from nearly every school in the Pac-12. The knock on Adams is that he is a raw offensive player, but is supremely athletic and a tough defender. Said Bill Self after Adams informed him of his decision:

Anrio and I met about his future, both academically and athletically, and we believe it is in his best interest to look into potential opportunities that may exist closer to home. Anrio is a very talented kid. We’ve enjoyed him being here. He was a good teammate and I know frustration can set in when you don’t play a lot, but he kept a good attitude and we should all support him in whatever decision he makes. I know our staff is 100 percent in support of him doing what’s best for his life.

Despite having to sit out for the upcoming season, if his bench antics at Kansas are any indication of the kind of swagger and jovial attitude he’ll bring to Ohio, Bobcat fans will be entertained by Adams. He became a GIF sensation with his dance moves and propensity to eat cereal (or was it ice cream?) during games.

You can find Kevin on twitter @KLDoyle11