High School

Kansas lands services of prized football, basketball recruit Jaden Nickens

Sierra Canyon’s Jaden Nickens will play football, basketball for Kansas next year

Dana Becker

Jaden Nickens, a current high school senior, has committed to play football and basketball at the University of Kansas.
Jaden Nickens, a current high school senior, has committed to play football and basketball at the University of Kansas. / X/Jaden Nickens

Four-star wide receiver Jaden Nickens will make another move across the country for his college career.

Nickens, a senior at Sierra Canyon High School in Chatsworth, Calif., announced his decision to commit to the University of Kansas. The 6-foot-2, 170-pounder is planning to pull double-duty, joining both the Jayhawk football and basketball teams.

“It just all came together,” Nickens told On3. “The basketball staff started recruiting me first, then I started talking to the football staff a couple of weeks later. They got on the same page, I got the offer and I made my decision.”

Nickens picked Kansas over offers from Georgia, Texas A&M, Oklahoma State and California. Over the past summer, he moved from Oklahoma to California for his final prep season.

“Kansas is a great basketball school, they are building a top football program and I get to play both sports for a great school that have great coaches,” he said. “I love how those coaches worked together to recruit me, how they both want me to play both sports and it is a great fit for me.”

While he has yet to pay Lawrence, Kan. a visit, Nickens knows where he is going ahead of his first trip there soon. 

Over his high school career, Nickens has won three state basketball titles and will join a team that features Bryce James, the son of NBA superstar LeBron James. While unranked on the basketball court, he is the fifth-best athlete in the 2025 class for football according to Rivals.

Arizona State recently offered Nickens for both sports, as well.

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Dana Becker
DANA BECKER

Dana Becker has been a sports writer in Iowa since 2000, writing for The Fort Dodge Messenger, Mason City Globe-Gazette, Cedar Rapids Gazette and others. Dana resides in northcentral Iowa and started as a writer with SB Live Sports in 2022 focused on the state of Iowa. Along with providing coverage of football and wrestling, Dana also spotlights cross country, swimming, basketball, track and field, soccer, tennis, golf, baseball and softball. He began writing for High School on SI in 2023.

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