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Tuesday, October 23, 2007

Gary Bedore’s KU basketball notebook

By Gary Bedore

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Aldrich season's likely star

6'11" freshman Cole Aldrich is eager for the Jayhawk basketball season to start. The Jayhawks open the exhibition season on November 1 against Pittsburg State.

Full speed ahead for Rush

Brandon Rush has cleared another hurdle in his comeback from right ACL surgery.

"Brandon has been checked out (by medical staff) and released to where he can practice full speed, no contact," Kansas University basketball coach Bill Self said Monday. In other words, the 6-foot-6 junior from Kansas City, Mo., can do everything his teammates can do at practice - except get bumped - close to five months after his June 1 surgery.

"It will be that way awhile to make sure he advances to the point where he can have contact. It's everything but no contact," Self stressed.

"He obviously is not close to being ready to play, but we were certainly hoping this would be the case after being checked out. Brandon is doing very well. He had a very good week of practice."

There has been no change in the timetable for playing in games - Dec. 1 or a month on either side.

Roster to stay at 17

Self indicated Monday the Jayhawks would not add any players following Sunday's walk-on tryouts.

"Unless something happens injury-wise where we need practice guys, we will stick with the guys we have," Self said. "It is a difficult year to make it, because of the number of guys we have on the roster (17 players, including five walk-ons). The (16) guys who tried out were in good shape. They did a good job. But unless something unforeseen happens, we will not add any more players."

Joseph on radar

Devoe Joseph, a 6-2 senior guard from Pickering High in Ontario, Canada, is expecting a visit from Self today. Joseph, who averaged 27 points a game his junior year, told Rivals.com he will visit KU on Nov. 2 and also make trips to Minnesota, Vanderbilt and Virginia Tech.

Status quo

Marcus and Markieff Morris, 6-8 and 6-9 forwards from Philadelphia, told Rivals.com on Monday they will visit Villanova this weekend and choose either KU or Villanova sometime following the trip. ... Quintrell Thomas, 6-8 forward from Elizabeth, N.J., still is pondering finalists, KU, Rutgers and UNLV.

Junior likes KU

Lance Stephenson, a 6-5 junior from Brooklyn, N.Y., tells Adam Zagoria of the Herald News in West Paterson, N.J., he will attend the KU-Arizona game on Nov. 25 at Allen Fieldhouse as part of an unofficial visit. He's considering KU, Seton Hall, North Carolina, USC, Memphis, Indiana and others.

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Comments

flipborder02 (anonymous) says...

I would like to have both Lance and Xavier but they both play the same position so were only going to get one of them when they decide to commit. Im pulling for Xavier but if it comes down to us getting Lance I will be more than happy.

October 23, 2007 at 7:13 a.m. ( | suggest removal )

jayhawkinatl (anonymous) says...

Yep, I'm hoping for a Henry brothers combo-deal!!!

October 23, 2007 at 7:24 a.m. ( | suggest removal )

elan71 (anonymous) says...

If you want to get picky about it. Scouts has Xavier as a Shooting Guard and Lance as a Small Forward. I think that no matter what, we could find ways to get them on the court together.

October 23, 2007 at 8:26 a.m. ( | suggest removal )

KU (anonymous) says...

I don't know......Those brother "package" deals rarely pan out. One may be a real contributor but the other disappoints. I guess it doesn't hurt to have a 6'8" practice player, though. And from the uncertainty they have shown over the past year, you get the impression they are a little flaky.

We HAVE to get a big ugly post guy in the class of '08!

October 23, 2007 at 8:29 a.m. ( | suggest removal )

KU (anonymous) says...

Jayhawkinati.....I misread your post. I thought you were talking about the Morris brothers. I COULD see the Henry brothers both contributing before I could see the Morris brothers both contributing.

October 23, 2007 at 8:31 a.m. ( | suggest removal )

justanotherfan (anonymous) says...

The Morris brothers are a tough call as to who will contribute. Their difference in ranking is at least partly attributable to size (6-8, 215 vs. 6-9, 230).

As for Lance Stephenson and Xavier Henry, they are the two most talked about wings in the 09 class. A lot of people are flip-flopping the two of them as the #1 and #2 perimeter players. I say if we can get them both, more power to Self. After all, it'd be nice to have some bigger perimeter guys.

October 23, 2007 at 8:44 a.m. ( | suggest removal )

JayCeph (anonymous) says...

I wonder what the timetable is for Rush to start playing games... probably Dec.1 or maybe a month before, perhaps a month later.

This insightful post brought to you by the letter 'duh' ;)

October 23, 2007 at 9:54 a.m. ( | suggest removal )

afilmer (anonymous) says...

so jayceph - what you are saying is that B-rush may return by Dec. 1 or a month on EITHER side?

what about Nov. 18 or Dec. 22?

could he return by then?

signed,
still confused no matter how many times they try to get it through our thick skulls that B-rush may return by Dec. 1 or a month on either side.

October 23, 2007 at 10:48 a.m. ( | suggest removal )

JayCeph (anonymous) says...

:)

October 23, 2007 at 1:23 p.m. ( | suggest removal )

kcmostwanted (anonymous) says...

It would be great to get Xavier and Lance.. and i think Self would be able to make something work... Like they can both be on the court @ the same time.. one can play the 2 and the other the 3 position... but did we forget that we're getting Travis Releford for the 08 Class and maybe the Morris Twins (one plays the wing as well)...as for Xavier/Lance they are probably 1 and done type of players which means they would want playing time right away...

Decisions..Decisions..

October 23, 2007 at 1:48 p.m. ( | suggest removal )

flipborder02 (anonymous) says...

kc if we get both Xavier and Lance in sure that talent wise there better then Travis just for there size and shooting ability and getting to the basket but if they came in they would probaly be startin in front of travis but thats my take on it some of you may think diffrently.

October 23, 2007 at 4:41 p.m. ( | suggest removal )

danimal33 (anonymous) says...

I don't know if you all know this yet or not, but last night Q Thomas let Bill Self know he is coming to KU. Smart choice on Q's part if you asked me. Now let's just hope that doesn't deter the Morris twins from picking KU as well. This is starting to look like the recruiting class we were all hoping for, and we will definitely need it with all the seniors and NBA 1st rounders we will be losing after this season. '07-'08 should be a fun year at AFH, and it looks like Self is going to be able to keep the ball rolling into '09.

Rock Chalk, what a great time to be a Jayhawk!

October 23, 2007 at 4:48 p.m. ( | suggest removal )

CasperCorps (anonymous) says...

Studs coming in... Studs leaving... KU fricken rocks...

October 23, 2007 at 6:11 p.m. ( | suggest removal )

afilmer (anonymous) says...

hey y'all,
you know those trip(s) bill has been making to europe lately? expect something huge out of that.

October 23, 2007 at 10:12 p.m. ( | suggest removal )

KUFan90 (anonymous) says...

Take heart all you "Dec 1 or a month on either side" haters. They can only lay that one on us for another week...because then it will be a month this side of Dec 1. If Rush isn't playing in games in a week, they will finally have to change their story!

October 24, 2007 at 1:18 a.m. ( | suggest removal )

dagger108 (anonymous) says...

justanotherfan - "Their difference in ranking is at least partly attributable to size (6-8, 215 vs. 6-9, 230)."

You might want to go back and check your logic. It appears that you think the bigger player is the better player, but in this case the smaller player is the more highly ranked player.

October 24, 2007 at 1:58 a.m. ( | suggest removal )

justanotherfan (anonymous) says...

When I first checked rankings the bigger of the two was ranked higher (like 37 vs. 70 something). I don't know if that's true now, but that was the case about two months ago.

October 24, 2007 at 8:42 a.m. ( | suggest removal )