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Tuesday, May 15, 2007

Self says no signings on horizon

By Gary Bedore

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Kansas University basketball coach Bill Self says there will be no surprises Wednesday, last day of the spring signing period for high school basketball players.

"We are not going to sign anybody in the late period. That doesn't mean we can't get anybody after the signing period," Self said Monday after returning from a charity golf tournament in Wichita.

"We are not involved with anybody at this time. Our scholarship situation is still somewhat up in the air. We are certainly looking into all options. There are several options. Nothing is going on now."

KU could land an unsigned high school player who could commit orally in the summer and enroll for fall classes - the route taken by Brandon Rush two years ago.

Or KU could land a transfer from another school, though Self stresses "nothing is in the works now."

KU has one scholarship to give in recruiting if Rush, as expected, keeps his name in the June 28 NBA Draft. Rush, who will attend the NBA pre-draft camp May 29-June 4 in Orlando, Fla., has not yet signed with an agent. Rush can pull his name from the draft by June 18 and retain his collegiate eligibility.

"He'd obviously like to go if he can : if he positions himself to be a No. 1 draft pick," Self said. "If not, there is always the option to return."

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Comments

Muska (anonymous) says...

sad, really...

May 15, 2007 at 8:22 a.m. ( | suggest removal )

jpstrayer (anonymous) says...

Brandon Rush a number 1 draft pick? Is this a typo? Should it be 1st round?

May 15, 2007 at 8:46 a.m. ( | suggest removal )

patton6 (anonymous) says...

No, he might be the first pick in the draft

May 15, 2007 at 9:06 a.m. ( | suggest removal )

jross1972 (Joe Ross) says...

Obviously this should have been printed "...if he positions himself to be a first round draft pick" which, as all of you following the Rush situation know, is what Brandon said was the threshold for his leaving.

May 15, 2007 at 9:12 a.m. ( | suggest removal )

JayCeph (anonymous) says...

He might actually be picked before the draft. Rush wants to be the 'zero' pick.

That is the most highly coveted spot in the entire draft. That position, should someone get picked there, is guaranteed a $20 MM signing bonus plus 3 free trips to the NBA finals with the team of his choice and at least one championship before he is 30.

Unless Rush is promised the 'zero' pick, he'll be coming back to KU... or not.

May 15, 2007 at 9:17 a.m. ( | suggest removal )

biggunz (anonymous) says...

Posted by patton6 (anonymous) on May 15, 2007 at 9:06 a.m. (Suggest removal)

"No, he might be the first pick in the draft"

surely you're joking.

May 15, 2007 at 9:19 a.m. ( | suggest removal )

jayloco (anonymous) says...

Excellent post JayCeph, gave me a laugh. I think Brandon will probably go between 25-30. I am pretty sure despite everyone's feeling that he is making a mistake, if he were to come back, Jayhawk Nation would welcome him with open arms.

May 15, 2007 at 9:45 a.m. ( | suggest removal )

TaCityHawkFan (anonymous) says...

Way to stand behind our players, guys. You sound like a bunch of morons. Every team in the draft has a number one pick, obviously those all fall in the first round. How about standing behind Brandon and Julian as they follow their dreams. Don't be so ignorant! It reflects on the rest of the Jayhawk nation who is supporting these kids.

May 15, 2007 at 10 a.m. ( | suggest removal )

milehighhawker (anonymous) says...

Yes Morons, he would be "a" number one pick. That is the term used by teams drafting, such as, "we used our #1 pick on that guy." That doesn't mean the #1 overall pick, it means some teams #1 pick. I would think all of the know it all basketball fans would know what this person meant. Geesh!

May 15, 2007 at 10:37 a.m. ( | suggest removal )

Lebowski (anonymous) says...

Take it with a grain of salt TaCity. People like to give their 2 cents no matter how little sense they have. Every school has ignorant fans. KU has more fans, so as a result, we have more ignorant fans. It doesn't change my opinion of the team or those fans whose opinions matter.

People on forums always get way too picky about word choice. There's nothing wrong with saying Rush will be "a number one pick". If he would have said "THE number one pick", then yeah, that's wrong. But he said "A number one pick", meaning the top pick for whatever team drafts him. People trying to correct his word choice in this instance to come across as ignorant to me, too.

Now, about word choice... it's "reflects on the rest who ARE". lol I'm just kidding around. Don't take it seriously.

May 15, 2007 at 10:41 a.m. ( | suggest removal )

hometownhawk (anonymous) says...

Well played, patton6. For once, I enjoyed reading a post on here.

May 15, 2007 at 10:49 a.m. ( | suggest removal )

KURUSH1530 (anonymous) says...

so forgive me, I've been out of the Jayhawk basketball loop due to the NBA playoffs. Which has actually been more exciting than march madness, although it usually is. Anyways, on to my point, why does Rush's status affect whether or not we get a late sign? Hasn't Julian already signed with an agent, therefore, exonerating him from his scholarship? Cause from the looks of it, it seems as if Self knew Wright was headed down the road to the NBA, even before all this talk from Wright about, "i'm staying 3 years."

May 15, 2007 at 10:55 a.m. ( | suggest removal )

Jayhawk86 (anonymous) says...

kurush, The reason Brandon's Status affected the team was due to the scholorship situation. Because of the sanctions by the NCAA (because of issues during Roy's tenure), had Rush returned we would not have any scholorships to give. Once Rush declared, it opened up one, but it was way too late to get anyone to commit.

May 15, 2007 at 11:15 a.m. ( | suggest removal )

pitthawker (anonymous) says...

I LOVE it when this board tries to point out typos. It really shows its overall intelligence. Thanks so much TaCityHawkFan and milehighhawker for trying (as impossible as it might seem) to educate the members.

May 15, 2007 at 11:24 a.m. ( | suggest removal )

emeryhawk (anonymous) says...

nbadraft.net has Rush going middle of the second round. DraftExpress has him as the 20th overall pick. I don't think we're going to see him in a Kansas uniform again, but if that first projection is anything but wildly inaccurate he would do well to stay. I don't see him becoming a lottery pick if he stays, but Rush has first-round talent, as far as I'm concerned. 2008 will be a big recruiting year for us. It's unlikely we'll pick anyone else up this year.

May 15, 2007 at 11:26 a.m. ( | suggest removal )

BaricL7 (anonymous) says...

I may be way off on this one, but don't we have to give up a scholarship sometime because of the ncaa rulings? If so if BRush leaves lets just take that hit now

May 15, 2007 at 11:27 a.m. ( | suggest removal )

hawkitup (anonymous) says...

"With the 32nd pick in the 2007 NBA Draft the Boston Celtics select, Brandon Rush from the University of Kansas."

Here's to the 2nd round Brandon! Hope it all works out well for you because you will be missed next year!

I can't wait to get the draft over with so we can focus on next season.

May 15, 2007 at 11:52 a.m. ( | suggest removal )

argentinehawk (anonymous) says...

I was thinking the same thing BaricL7. Lets just take the hit and get it over with. I'd rather see that then have a guy we really don't want for 4 years.

May 15, 2007 at 11:54 a.m. ( | suggest removal )

jhawk14 (anonymous) says...

i'll take the open scholarship!

May 15, 2007 at 12:11 p.m. ( | suggest removal )

jhawk14 (anonymous) says...

oh yeah, and i'll also 99% guarantee that i'll stay for four years, unless of course i get the 1% chance that i'll be a high first round draft choice, in which case there is a 50/50 chance that i'll hire an agent and not be able to fulfill my 99% guarantee that i'll stay for four years.

May 15, 2007 at 12:14 p.m. ( | suggest removal )

kcmostwanted (anonymous) says...

umm..people say that all they time.. "a No. 1 draft pick" .. Self isn't saying first overall..he's saying a teams first pick in the first round..although some teams don't get 1st round picks and some get more than 1.. but he's not refering to BR as the No. 1 overall..

sorry if this was stated earlier..i just didn't feel like reading everyone's comments

May 15, 2007 at 1:03 p.m. ( | suggest removal )

filmhawk (anonymous) says...

somebody gaurenteed jaron a ZERO pick too. kareem wasn't as fortunate.

May 15, 2007 at 3:58 p.m. ( | suggest removal )

JayCeph (anonymous) says...

Right now, in the NBA playoffs, there are a number of (former) KU players in contention for a shot at a ring...

Jacque Vaugh with the Spurs
Kirk Hinrich with the Bulls
Drew Gooden with the Cavs

Is there anyone else? I was rooting for all three but then I saw that Robert Horry was on the Spurs and thusly, have decided to remove them from my list. He has got to be one of THE dirtiest players in the League. I remember when he threw a haymaker at Jeff Hornicek (jeff hornicek!... come on!!) Dirty, dirty, dirty...

May 15, 2007 at 4:32 p.m. ( | suggest removal )

Krohnutz (anonymous) says...

Hinrich has no shot at a title this year, however, in the long run, he has a very outstanding shot at multiple titles, as that team has the Knicks picks, and all they need to add is some inside scoring that Scott Skiles actually USES. That team is loaded and young. Bring Phil Jackson back to Chicago (won't happen, I know) and they win that division.

And for the love of gawd, all this media coverage on the dirty Spurs. Had they not watched any NBA for the last five years? The Spurs are, and have been, a dirty team. It is only overshadowed by the fact that Tim Duncan is a hall-of-famer, a clean player, and generally liked. The only team as dirty in comparison is Detroit. Billups wrote the book on "dirty dirty" and mailed his first copy to Bowen.

Saddest part is, the league will consider making Stoudamire miss games for leaving the bench, perhaps to help his point guard find his hip bone after that check, and that means you can pretty much mail the series to the Spurs. I think Popovich is dating David Stern in secrecy.

I will post my thoughts on Rush, as this should be a KU thread next, but I had to post on that Spurs stuff.

May 15, 2007 at 6:19 p.m. ( | suggest removal )

Krohnutz (anonymous) says...

But before I talk about Rush, elts address this issue of "fan support" and let me comment on JuJu yet again:

First, to the "KU fan" that says we should be all supportive. I am supportive, if they asked my advice I would give them an honest answer, and tell them my reasoning. However, it is bad parenting to merely say "ok, so you want to be a Nascar driver," smile at them, and let them go about their way without a worry in the world.

My advice to both was to not sign an agent. Line one up, but not sign. Julian I think has lottery pick talent, but you could NOT have picked a worse draft to be a big man and enter. This is one of the few drafts I have seen be this loaded with solid, young post talent.

Just look at the "big" names of post players. Brandon Wright, Joakim Noah, Al Horford (Hereford, as he is a cow, really...), and the Durant/Oden one-two punch. Christ you could not have picked a worse class of big men to wade into with. Within that crew, whom does he have a better pedigree over? Be honest, not a homer, maybe Noah? Maybe? But honestly, I doubt that, as Noah has a solid basketball mind and awareness. I see Noah going to the Suns if they end up with Atlanta's pick (yes the Suns could pick in the top nine).

If JuJu just waited one more season, he would have been a lock for a lottery pick. The big men would be thinner again, as usual, making his status as one of the nations more developed all the more valued.

I like JuJu, and I can accept and understand his decsion. Just saying, of all the years, this draft has more talented big men than any I can recall.

Can anyone else recall this much potential? Please respond, as I dig talking NBA.

May 15, 2007 at 6:31 p.m. ( | suggest removal )

Krohnutz (anonymous) says...

And now for Rush:

Coulud a guy want to leave for the NBA anymore?

This guy I just do not understand whatsoever. First off, he didn't do his coach any good by not deciding and saying firm. Kudos to Wright on that one, he said "I am gone" and left.

He kept saying he wanted to be drafted in the top twenty, as that would make him leave. Then he sees all kinds of predrafts ranking him all over the place. Just as many say the second round as the first round, and very few with any sanity rank him above 15-20.

So he modifies his position, saying he wants to be in the first round.

Look man, if you don't want to be in school then just be open about it. It sounds like he is willing to back up his "I gotta be drafted here" numbers to whatever. Soon he will say "I gotta be drafted to a team that wears shorts and plays home games in North America."

Throw out age, at his peak, I see Brandon Rush as a barely top-ten pick. Mostly due to size and ball handling. Right now I see a guy who is a so-so handler. Without him showing us he is an exceptional scorer a team would mainly want him for his defense, which at the college level is outstanding. However, that doesn't translate into guarding a bigger and/or quicker NBA small forward, or a faster/stronger shooting guard, or god forbid a power forward.

Honestly, go look at most NBA teams starting five, and tell me he could get the better of 25% of any small forward in the near future.

Not only do I think he should have stayed one more year, but I think he will have to elevate his game quite a bit to have some staying power once he reaches the NBA.

May 15, 2007 at 6:48 p.m. ( | suggest removal )

Krohnutz (anonymous) says...

By the way, the leauge just announced two games for Horry and one game each for A-Stod and Diaw. Did I call that or what?

Really, I hate the Spurs. I respect and like Tim Duncan, but really, I hate the Spurs.

May 15, 2007 at 6:50 p.m. ( | suggest removal )

rockchalk66 (anonymous) says...

Go Bulls

May 16, 2007 at 7:43 a.m. ( | suggest removal )

actorman (anonymous) says...

Sheesh, Krohnutz, that's a LOT of posting. Did your name used to be jaybate?

May 16, 2007 at 1:11 p.m. ( | suggest removal )

rockchalkAZ (anonymous) says...

hey krohnutz, you really think we want to read a novel on this thing? keep it short man

May 16, 2007 at 10:59 p.m. ( | suggest removal )

rockchalk66 (anonymous) says...

Bulls will win 2 , I have faith in them

May 17, 2007 at 7:38 a.m. ( | suggest removal )

Krohnutz (anonymous) says...

Actually, I broke it into three posts so people could read it if they wanted to. Note the "if they wanted to part." If longer posts turn you off, skip on.

I offer evidence, and that takes up lines, as opposed to just saying "Brandon Rush should stay in school" and not elaborating.

So if you don't want to read it, by all means, skip it.

Off topic, but the Spurs-Suns series is making me sick. Last night I just wanted to puke. I'm out.

May 17, 2007 at 5:23 p.m. ( | suggest removal )

rockchalk66 (anonymous) says...

guess I was wrong bulls lost, Krohnutz I don't bother to read peoples post if they do it 4 times in a row

May 18, 2007 at 7:36 a.m. ( | suggest removal )