Case joins Self’s KU basketball staff

By Gary Bedore     Aug 6, 2008

Jeremy Case is beginning what he hopes will be a long college basketball coaching career at his alma mater, Kansas University.

Case has been tapped as replacement for Michael Lee as student assistant/team manager on Bill Self’s Jayhawk staff.

Lee recently accepted a job as full-time assistant coach at Gardner-Webb University.

“I think this is definitely perfect for me from a learning standpoint, and it’s KU. It doesn’t get any better than starting your career at KU,” Case said Tuesday.

Case, whose dad, Win, is head coach at Redlands Community College in El Reno, Okla., has known for some time he’d like to follow in dad’s footsteps.

“I want to be a head coach. I feel this is the best way to start, to learn. It will help me move up quicker. Being at coach Self’s meetings and watching coach Self closely will be vital to me,” Case said.

“I feel I can give insight on a lot of things. I have been with coach five years and know what to expect from him and might be able to help our young players with that.”

Self is thrilled to welcome Case aboard his staff.

“I really enjoyed coaching Jeremy since we’ve been here the last five years,” Self said. “He has the potential to become an excellent coach. I strongly encouraged him to get his feet wet here initially. It’ll be an experience he can use around a very young and inexperienced ballclub.

“This hopefully will help jump-start his career as a coach,” Self added. “It’s a similar position to what I had 23 years ago (on Larry Brown’s staff at KU). Hopefully he’ll jump in head-first and decide if this is the right profession for him.”

Case said he’d help out in any way, even don the practice gear.

“If coach needs me to, I will. They might need me to practice. I won’t mind,” the McAlester, Okla., native said, adding, “I’m not in the best shape right now.”

Of the upcoming season in which KU returns no starters and just four scholarship players off a national title team, Case said: “I think it may start a little slow just because how young we are. I think it’ll be fun. I look forward to it. I’m thrilled to be on coach’s staff. I’m happy he allowed me to do this. I’m excited for the chance.”

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