TULSA, Okla. -- Five-star Class of 2020 guard Bryce Thompson made his college commitment to the Kansas Jayhawks on Tuesday morning. Thompson, the No. 19 prospect in the 247Sports Composite rankings and the No. 1 player in the state, made the commitment in a ceremony at Tulsa (Oklahoma)-Washington High School over a final list of schools that included two in-state programs -- Oklahoma State and Oklahoma -- as well as North Carolina.

Despite being hit with some serious allegation violations from the NCAA less than two months ago, Thompson's pledge represents a momentous month for Kansas. He's the third Class of 2020 pledge over the last 30 days, and to this point, the biggest prize of the class. Further, he represents not just the biggest incoming recruit but also hope that KU -- even with the NCAA cloud hanging over the program -- may still be able to recruit the way KU always does.

Or, perhaps, Kansas was always going to be in position to land Thompson -- regardless of looming NCAA sanctions. His father, Rod, played for Bill Self at Tulsa in the 1990s, and that kinship played an important role in Self ensuring he'd again have the opportunity to coach another Thompson star. 

That factor proved to be even more impossible to overcome than many other staffs recruiting Thompson once thought. Oklahoma State was the first to offer Thompson a scholarship in 2017 and laid out a full push for years, but fell shy despite offering a pairing with five-star guard Cade Cunningham. Oklahoma was similarly staunch in its pursuit, even hiring long-time family friend Pooh Williamson to its staff this summer, but no dice. And North Carolina recently landed five-star guard Caleb Love in hopes of pairing him with Thompson, but alas, Thompson's opting to stay closer to home.

Kansas offered Thompson a scholarship last April just before exploding onto the scene as a junior, but it did not exert the same effort as Oklahoma State and Oklahoma -- at least not until late in the game. This spring, the Jayhawks stepped up their effort and steadied their eyes on making him a priority. After an official visit to KU back in October, an unofficial visit to KU on Friday night, and a home visit from Self himself over the weekend, the Jayhawks sealed the deal.