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Kansas forward Xavier Henry backs off as center Cole Aldrich pulls a rebound away from Belmont forward Mitch Hedgepeth during the first half, Tuesday, Dec. 29, 2009 at Allen Fieldhouse.
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Kansas University junior Cole Aldrich and freshman Xavier Henry aren’t yet ready to announce whether they’ll be in the NBA or back at KU next season, coach Bill Self said Tuesday at his season-ending news conference.
Both are projected as first-round picks.
It’s been assumed all season both are in their final seasons at KU.
Of Henry’s situation, Self said: “I’ll meet with X. I saw him briefly yesterday, didn’t really talk about much. I’ll meet with him and see what he and his family want me to do. I’m not going to do something they don’t want me to do. That’ll be a family decision. (There’s) no timetable I have whatsoever on them getting together and making a decision.
“I don’t think the decision has been made yet. I think there’s probably a way in which they’re leaning, but let’s wait and see what happens. I’ll support it either way.”
Of Henry’s NBA readiness, Self said: “There’s no question in my mind that he is definitely equipped and ready to be paid, no question.
“Now the question to the family is ... is he ready to play and impact the NBA game? And I think that is one that I personally think he can do that. I do, but that’s something they need to decide as a group. You are talking about a situation if he does go where some people have him projected to go (lottery), we don’t know if that’s accurate or not, if he does go there, sometimes that is a pretty risky insurance policy to come back and risk injury and things like that. That is strictly a decision for him and his family and I’ll support whatever direction they go.”
Of Aldrich’s situation, Self said: “Cole and I visited yesterday. To me, with Cole it doesn’t have much to do with where people have him projected. We know he’s going to get drafted pretty high. It’s what would be best for his family.
“He’ll make a decision ... it could be best for his family for Cole to come back, but I’ve said this all along, I’m not encouraging that at all. I think it’s something he has to feel totally comfortable with and he will. Give him a week or so to think about it. He’ll make a decision. He won’t let it hang in the balance so to speak wondering what he’s going to do. I think he’ll give himself some time to think about it, visit with his mother and father and probably have a decision sometime next week. My personal hunch is that he’s probably in his mind, for the first time, thinking about it. I don’t think he’s given much thought about it until now. I think his total focus was this year.”
Behind the Lens: Game Over April 19, 2012
Jeff Withey says he considered leaving early April 9, 2012
Final thoughts following KU's run to national championship game April 3, 2012
Elijah Johnson and Tyshawn Taylor post-game interviews April 3, 2012
Tyshawn Taylor and Thomas Robinson: Linked through their KU careers April 2, 2012
Comments
esubrett (anonymous) says…
Not to beg but please come back, please.
kujayhawk72 (anonymous) says…
Anyone else think it sounds like Coach hopes X goes? Just wondering if I read this right. Not being negative, just reads different than he says about Cole to me.. Isn't it just as risky for Cole to come back???
jhokfan (anonymous) says…
A boat load of money will help ease the state of sadness they are currently in. Cole already has a national title. Unless getting his degree is important I expect him to bolt. I don't think winning a title was ever that important for Xavier. He's only in college because he has to be.
khuff80 (anonymous) says…
It seems to me "in terms of 'reading into it'".
That he's more sure that IF it was a consensus that Xavier would be a Lottery PIck that he would be gone.....problem being that I don't think that it is a consensus. If it's seeming like from a "majority of sources" that he would be out of the lottery, I would suspect he'll be back.
For Cole, he's guaranteed to be in the lottery and likely top 6 or 8. The question for him is more of being close enough to the degree now and enjoying college life for one more year.
jchief40 (anonymous) says…
Self must be seeing something I am not regarding Henry.
utahjayhawk (anonymous) says…
I guess the bar for getting into the league has dropped precipitously low. If X is a lottery pick, it's a pretty weak draft. Don't get me wrong, the guy has unbelieveable upside but he showed precious little this year in terms of a solid mid-range or drive game in his repertoire. I guess he might be successful in the league since few teams play the level of defense found in college. One thing is for sure, he certainly won't be driving to the rim in the league since he seemed extremely tentative to do that this year. I assume that was on him and not Coach. He was the one that needed to break out of the 3 guard weave to take it strong to the hole. He maybe did it once or twice against completely inferior competition but he certainly didn't do it when we needed it (ie UNI). His athleticism was wasted on the perimeter, with the exception of the last 5 minutes and by then it was much too late.
I think Carl Henry is a bright articulate guy who knows that his son needs to demonstrate more in college before he makes the jump to the league, unless he or X is satisfied with a mediocre journeyman type career in the NBA.
kranny (anonymous) says…
In the NBA it's all about matchups and X is a good matchup defender because of his strength and height not to mention his upside potential. There may be a team that says, "he needs to work on his ball handling but we can develop that as long as he's a good defender. Sherron may have a tougher time in the draft. Cole is as good as gone.
55jayhawk (anonymous) says…
I'm glad X came to KU and he helped us. But we need to quit getting 1 year here and out players. This is a player who's parents were KU players and I would have hoped there was more love for KU, but I must not see something that might be in the air other than $. X could really use another year before he goes to the NBA because to me he was hot and cold. As far as Cole is concerned, he could use another year at KU to get tougher under the boards and keep a hold on the BB better. He will play differently in the NBA and this may not be a problem for him as the NBA will teach him what he needs to know. He will have his degree this spring, has done KU a great service, and I will back him in whatever his decision is. I think the family has needed the money and he yet he came back this year to help KU. We will be good next year but I would like Cole and / or X to return as I think we could win the Natl next year. It's hard to turn down a good contract but Cole is different, he has a degree to back him up where X may want to reconsider his options.
jayhawkerjoel (anonymous) says…
wow - not much love for X on this board. Did I miss something, or was he not a freshman this year?? I'd love to have him back - I'm sure coach would too.
I think some of you are reading way too much into what Self is saying... he is just being truthful. If X can get drafted high enough, he will be money ahead by leaving this year. If he won't be drafted at certain level, he is likely to be money ahead by staying an extra year. The math isn't really all that complicated. Although, the math may change next year if the NBA's colletive bargaining agreement changes dramatically. With that being unknown, he may bolt for the league at a lower draft position than he'd prefer this year - bad news for us.
milehighhawk (anonymous) says…
First time I've heard that it would be best for Cole's family if Cole came back.
Anyone know what the reasoning behind this would be? I love Cole and wish he'd be back another year, but I thought his family was kind of struggling financially & it would help them more if he went to the league instead of finished up school. Where am I wrong?
Rock_Chalk_25 (anonymous) says…
If Cole comes back, I say we are the favorites (again) to take the NC. Bill has been developing Marcus as a SF the last few years, and if Cole comes back we might see a physically superior lineup that no college team has ever seen. Picture this:
Starters:
Tyshawn PG
Elijah SG
Marcus SF
Markieff PF
Cole C
Not to mention we bring Tyrel, Brady, Mario, Travis, TRob, and Withey off the bench. I'm starting to get the feel that not only will the talent be there next year, but the chemistry as well. I think that Coach Self's system is the best when there is no alpha male---and we all know that is exactly what Sherron was. Anyone else remember that feeling of complete dominance when we just rolled over teams in 08'?... Yet our leading scorer was BRush at 13 a game. I could envision that next year---too bad we have to wait another half-year...
GilbertAZ (anonymous) says…
I'm probably in the minority here, but I think Cole should stay and X should go. I don't think Cole can do anything next year to hurt his draft position, but he could go even higher. With X, I never really felt that he wanted to be in college. The NBA drafts on potential, so right now, I think he would go in the lottery. Coming back next year would only hurt him in my opnion.
sallyp (anonymous) says…
if X stays, I sure hope he gets on the Rock Chalk bandwagon. He was definately not on it this year. I know he's extremely talented, but sure didn't show what he's capable of. Standing on the perimeter just doesn't cut it. And if Cole does come back we'll be tough to beat. Cole's given his all, I'm sure there are things he can improve on for the NBA, but that's true of everyone. Wish we could keep him,but sure understand if he leaves. The pro's really hurt colleges with this one & done deal. these kids go to college just to satisfy the pros, sometimes it works out and for others they are just biding their time. wish X would have been more into college basketball.
jayhawkerjoel (anonymous) says…
R_C_25 - no offense, but how do you rationalize Elijah starting over Brady & Tyrel, when he saw NO crunch-time minutes this year? Clearly, he will see big minutes next year, but I'd bet anything he won't start over both of those two. And I'd be absolutely shocked to see Cole back - I think that is wishful thinking on your part. Also, what makes you think Mario won't be starting? JMHO -
1 Tyshawn G
2.Brady G
3 Mario SF
4 Marcus PF
5 Markieff C
Rotate in Tyrel, Elijah, & CJ with the guards; Releford rotates at the 2-3; TRob & Withey at the 4-5. This gives you a rotation of eleven (obviously more than Self wants) Of course the entire rotation is up for grabs if X decides to stay...
At least the debates on this board will be fun this summer.
farawayhawk (anonymous) says…
I'm guessing Cole is completely torn because in his heart he would love to come back next year. He'd love another shot at the NC, love to be a Senior and love to get his degree. However, the risk of coming back and getting injured or having his stock go down will be too great and he will go to the NBA.
If X receives feedback that he'll go high in the draft he will be gone like the wind. He has never loved KU and was here because he had to be somewhere. He was not a good fit for Kansas, not because he isn't a good player, but because for all that Kansas fans give to the program all they ask is that the players love KU back. And most do. He doesn't. If there is a Murphy's Law then Cole will go and X will stay.
Rybarns (anonymous) says…
X will do whatever King Carl tells him to. X is a good kid who seemed to buy into the team concept and his role as the number 3 or 4 option. Carl seems to be the headache. Just like Carl saying a few weeks ago that they would have to sit down and explore C.J.'s options to either turn pro, transfer again, or stay at KU. Carl has yet to buy into the KU system.
Some of those mock drafts have no clue, but Chad Ford has X as the #18 prospect and Cole as like #8. Unless Cole improves his face-up game, he will probably always be a defense-first center who may start a few years but mainly be a great back-up for 11-12 years in the NBA. That will be the same if he is in next year's draft as well.
This is a weak draft, but considering Evan Turner, Wesley Johnson and James Anderson are ahead of X at his position, he probably will be drafted around 16-20. If he comes back and learns how to use his body around the basket and get more consistent from outside, he could climb into the top 6 or 7 next year.
barrybonsoir (anonymous) says…
I don't think Cole benefits by staying. It was pretty obvious this season that teams were figuring out how to defend against him. He was still stellar on D, but had a lot of trouble getting his points. I'd bet that gets only worse next year. He might as well split now, because his draft status won't get any higher.
BPSkelly (anonymous) says…
Look. Of course "X" isnt ready. But when the has that stopped players, agents, owners from making bad decisions? Rarely.
Why? Potential upside. We've all seen the brilliant (and not so brilliant) moments that can come with X. He's not ready now. But if someone is going to throw millions of dollars at you, you'd be a fool not to take it.
Spare me the "get an education" rant. It's a valid argument. But the purpose of college is to prepare you for life beyond it. And X will make more of his first NBA contract than many KU graduates who get good jobs after they are done there.
To me the biggest reason to stay is can you develop enough where your not just getting one NBA contract. You'll be getting 2 or 3 of them. That to me is the biggest question.
X reminds be a lot of Brandon Rush, but probably a little better rebounder. Good handle, great shot. But he doesnt strike me as very aggressive. A guy with those skills should be shooting 8-10 FTs a night, and he just sits out there and stops and pops.
Im not holding my breath on him staying, but for purely selfish reasons, we'd all love him to stay.
Cole is ready and should go. I dont see the upside of him playing another year here. His PG is gone. Im not a fan of Taylor, and I cant see Coles numbers improving with a guy like him running the show. He's a 10 year backup center waiting to happen. He should go, get his lottery contract, and turn into Joel Pryzbilla. Grab boards and block everything in sight. It'd be GREAT if he could get drafted by a good team where is role is well defined and he doesnt get buried. We can an least hope for that.
Regardless, we can be all be disappointed if they leave, but we shouldnt be surprised, and the decisions for both are probably already made weather they're telling us or not.
ralster (anonymous) says…
Maybe Self's NBA-ready comment has more to do with showing the recruits out there (interpret: Selby.) that here came a OAD to KU and lookie-there he truly got drafted high by the NBA...Plus, we are loaded at the 3 with Little+Releford, and both know SelfBall about as well as you can hope. They are ready for PT. What we need is a baller at PG. I still hope for EJ to come along, and TT to get/stay consistent. Im not sure I interpreted CJs body language as positive or not.
----------------------------
The bigs should keep improving. Just 1 week ago, we were singing the praises of Danny and the staff's work with the bigmen--that hasnt changed overnight. At some point, nothing teaches like actual game PT. McM, MkM, TRob, Withey. Yes we need a bigman recruit either this or next year.
ralster (anonymous) says…
Speculation here: What if Self's basketball concept hierarchy has valuing the ball and each possession + defense over that of "letting athletes run" (like KY) and "tolerating" a higher T.O. rate as new babyHawks learn the game. It explains so much: why EJ sits, why Brady+Reed get major minutes. Why he went with his "most reliable 8". For the season, we avg 40% 3pt shooting, mostly because of X, Twins, Reed. The only 1 really hitting vs NIU was Reed, could almost be the story of the game, as we missed wide-open 3s over and over, irrespective of what the savant on the other side did.
phillyh3 (anonymous) says…
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3uejv2...
quigley (anonymous) says…
Video on Josh Selby.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YEEGg_...
dmb22aj (anonymous) says…
i personally hope X goes...he completely threw off the chemistry of this team...that was exemplified by the fact he was the only one in that locker room not sobbing after the loss to Northern Iowa, he was completely composed...he needs to go
as far as Cole goes, I think he's a top ten pick whether he stays or goes...but it's important to him and his family to become the first member of his family to graduate from college from what i've read. So with that said, i'd love and hope and pray that Cole returns and X goes
ps--and pray we get selby and/or lamb
icthawkfan316 (anonymous) says…
Here's my analysis of what next year's team will look like. I posted a previous version of this in the comments to another article. (warning to those who don't like lengthy posts, this is pretty long).
I'm smelling a lot of "ifs" heading into next season. We have exactly one elite player heading into next year and that is Marcus. His spot in the starting line-up is secure, but it is the only one. That alone makes the prospect of competing for a title next year suspect to say the least. The way I see it, there are four groups of players that will compose next year's team (aside from Marcus): this season's role players, this season's bench players, this season's redshirts, & incoming recruits. I am operating under the conditions that Cole, X, & CJ all leave, and I’m incorporating Jaybate’s “you need 3-4 elite players to compete for a National Championship” theory.
Next year we will return an assortment of semi-skilled role players, but all of them are deficient in one way or another, and expecting enough of them to make the jump in performance to field an elite squad might be a bit much. I'm speaking of Markieff, Tyshawn, Tyrel, & Brady. If you were going to try and guess at the likelihood as to who among these players will ascend to grab a starting role, and possibly an elite talent, I would rank them in that order. Kief will likely start because aside from Marcus he is the best returning "big". At times Kief was a ferocious rebounder and capable scorer, and he is after all Marcus's identical twin, so talent wise the gap between him and his slightly younger brother shouldn't be too great. Also, he has already demonstrated the greatest capacity for improvement among the role players. He is not a center, so if Self plays both the twins in the front court we will be a little under-sized, but then again on the '08 team neither Shady nor Darnell were centers, so it's not a situation that automatically spells struggles.
icthawkfan316 (anonymous) says…
Tyshawn would be my next guess as to who might earn a starting spot next year, but only marginally edging out Tyrel. He is a polarizing player among the fans for sure, but like him or not, CS made the decision this year to re-insert him into the starting line-up, replacing Brady and bypassing Tyrel. There are a couple of reasons for this. He has qualities (in more abundance) that you can't coach and that the other guys don't possess: speed, quickness, & athleticism. Because of these abilities, and because he is younger with two years of eligibility left, he has a higher ceiling. It would also seem that CS made the decision that he needed to start grooming a point guard for next year, and re-inserting Tyshawn into the starting line-up is reflective of his belief that Tyshawn is that player. Coming off an impressive freshman campaign and stint on the u-19 USA team he was poised to take his game to the next level. However, it was a nightmarish sophomore season. The fight with the football team, facebook-gate, the comments about not knowing his role, being benched. Some say his time on the u-19 team served as a detriment to his development. Whether or not he can regain the promise he once showed is anyone’s guess. He will need to mature, work on his defense, and improve his jump shot. Tyrel definitely had his moments down the stretch. He is the best returning shooter on a team that was doomed by its outside shooting against UNI, so he will definitely get a look. He also demonstrated improvement throughout the season, meaning he’s obviously coachable, and he plays as hard as anyone on the team. However, his drawbacks are many. First and foremost, he is not a good on-ball defender at all, and anyone who tries to say otherwise was simply watching the games with too much bias. He is inept at driving the ball to the hoop. He will be entering his senior season, and if he was unable to grab the starting spot from either Brady or Tyshawn this year it’s doubtful he claims one next year. After 4 years with this team it is likely that Brady has reached his ceiling and we have seen the apex of his abilities. He seemed to regress dramatically on both ends of the floor this year. He has a high basketball IQ, is a great passer, and is capable (if not always reliable) of shooting the 3, so he will no doubt earn minutes, but it is unlikely he starts and there is virtually no chance he becomes an elite player.
b_barnes84 (anonymous) says…
I think Royce can come in and play the 3 just as satifactory as X did. It would make more sense for X to stay and battle Royce in practice. I think a lot of people are underestimating Royce, he will score a lot of points at Kansas.
icthawkfan316 (anonymous) says…
So having looked at the role players, I’d say there’s one bright spot and another spot we can still hold out hope for. What about the bench players? This group is comprised of Elijah, Withey, and TRob. Jaybate has expressed his doubts about this group (on another thread) and whether or not any could be counted on to significantly contribute beyond maybe that of a “glue” or “post place holder” position. The main reason he cites behind these doubts is that they apparently did not show CS enough to warrant many minutes this past season. I share those doubts to some extent. Elijah certainly has captured a large portion of Jayhawk nation’s interest. He is incredibly fast & athletic. Beyond that I am not sure what he will bring. I don’t have a great recollection of the games he played in against our cupcake opponents or the mop-up minutes he saw sporadically throughout the year, other than a couple of highlight reel dunks and noticing that he was not even average at shooting the 3. In all likelihood a number of things probably conspired to keep him from seeing the court much. Numbers (CS likes a 5 man rotation of perimeter players), a lesser understanding of the system/playbook than the 5 players in front of him, less of an aptitude for defense than the 5 players in front of him, and CS’s loyalty to Sherron (which led to his unwillingness to sit Sherron any more than was absolutely necessary). His chances for grabbing a starting spot are probably slim. He was unable to overtake the trio of Tyshawn, Tyrel, & Brady for any playing time this year, and was given every chance with Brady’s first half suspension and Tyshawn’s antics. If he improves his defense and jump shot, obtains a better grasp of the system, and CS sours on Tyshawn, it’s possible.
icthawkfan316 (anonymous) says…
The recruiting class is still incomplete. The one player we do know is coming is Royce Woolridge. I’ve heard different things regarding him. He is only a 3 star recruit according to rivals.com; the 117th ranked recruit and 42nd ranked shooting guard. Some speculate that declaring so early hurt his rankings among recruiting circles. It is agreed that he has a good jump shot. The best comparison would be to Tyrel Reed. Given this, it is doubtful he will see many minutes next year and should probably consider a red-shirt and wait until Brady & Tyrel are gone to start the clock on his eligibility. Landing one of the guards we're recruiting is essential, and I wouldn't be opposed to getting two. I don't think we will get another post player. Unless Self is completely unsold on Jeff Withey being even a marginal contributor, we have enough post players as is, and I have heard or seen no rumors about our interest in any. If we were to land one he would either force one of the other bigs to the bench or he wouldn’t be as good as the bigs we’ve got and would sit the bench or redshirt. I’m not as “in the know” regarding the players we are after, but from what I gather the names are Selby, Ross, Lamb, & Knight, with the likelihood of them signing here ranking in that order. Knight & Selby are the #1 & #4 ranked recruits, and either of them could jump into the starting line-up next year. The chance either of them would be elite players? Well, consider the fact that X was the #5 ranked recruit coming into this season, I guess it’s possible we could see an impact similar to his, possibly a tad higher given that they are point guards and that X played alongside more established talent, therefore reducing his touches and need to carry the load. I’m not as sold on Lamb making the leap from high school to starter (although he looks like a great player), and Ross is a wing player who would almost certainly ride the bench.
So there’s your 2010-2011 Kansas Jayhawks. By my estimation we’ll be starting the Twins & Mario Little, with both guard positions up for grabs. Doesn’t really seem fitting to say “title possible”. Sure I guess, but to me it seems a bit like the ‘08-’09 season. A re-tooling, re-loading type of year. I’m always amused coming to these boards to see many fans heralding Elijah & Withey, running those names up the flag pole as if they are the Saviors of next season and could have saved this season but CS got it wrong. Maybe they turn out to be great players, all-Americans. Maybe we land a recruit or two and they are the kind of phenoms we’ve seen lead other teams to success. Maybe the guys coming off of red-shirts give us what we need. Maybe Tyshawn gets it together? Maybe, maybe, maybe.
icthawkfan316 (anonymous) says…
I think the situation for TRob is much greater. Much like how CS prefers a certain number of perimeter players in his rotation, the same can be said for post players. Typically there are 3 main guys, and one periphery player picking up minutes due to foul trouble or injury. This year TRob was the guy on the periphery, much like Cole in ’08. How many memories do we all have of Cole his freshman year other than the UNC game? I don’t have many. TRob never got that chance, but that doesn’t necessarily mean he can’t make that leap in performance & playing time. Obviously they are different types of players, TRob is yet another 4 and not a center, but we did see flashes this year. And CS is on record as saying that when Cole was a freshman he was extremely raw (I think the phrase he used was “he didn’t know anything”). Hopefully banging against Cole & the Twins all year will yield significant improvement. Now he probably won’t get the chance to start unless Marcus slides down to the 3, but the chance to be a major contributor is there. It’s hard to envision the same scenario for Withey. While the exact reason is not known (comments in December about not knowing the playbook after being with the team a full year is a possibility), he was behind TRob in the rotation this past season, so he would have to leap frog him to get into the mix of the 3 main post players. He does have the advantage of being a true center and shot blocker, and with Cole leaving and none of the other bigs able to fill that role it is not impossible to make the leap.
The bench players yielded no great possibilities for entering the starting line-up, much less being elite players next season. We have two players coming off of red-shirts: Mario Little & Travis Releford. Reports are encouraging if we are to believe the articles on this site regarding their performances in practices. Both players will be entering their third seasons under CS, and Mario has 2 years of junior college experience under his belt. Even in his injury-ridden ’09 campaign he showed he can be counted on to be a scorer. My guess is that he starts at the 3 next year, and along with Marcus is one of the leaders of the team. Releford should also see significant minutes next year, possibly splitting time between the 2 & 3, but I can’t see him starting. I expect both players to be more effective at driving to the hoop than maybe any player from this year’s team with the possible exception of Sherron. Without the benefit of seeing them in any game action they remain somewhat of a wild card, but they definitely provide more upside than the bench players do. The potential for Little to be an elite player next year is there.
NotWiller (anonymous) says…
The level of X-bashing on here is totally ridiculous- not seen since last summer when he came to campus later instead of sooner. You people aren't going to be satisfied until these teenagers swear a blood oath to Lawrence. Get over yourselves, if just for a minute. X IS good enough to head straight to the NBA from high school, but there's a rule against it. Is that his fault? It's not, so stop blaming him. Buncha ungrateful bums....
X came to Lawrence and has NEVER been anything but a SOLID teammate. He was selfless to a fault. Even Bill Self has said he wished that X would be more aggressive. Yes, it's the same thing we all felt about BRush, but I wouldn't trade either of them for anything. Enough of your crap about how "these kids" aren't committed enough. What have you done for KU lately? You talk about "these kids" as if they are some foreign body. Guess what, jerkoff- they are ku. They put on the jersey, they bleed, they sweat, and they get banged up. THEY are what YOU cheer for. You buffoons just drink the beer and drive the remote control on game day and then complain later when your ridiculous, ever changing demands aren't met.
Conversations about whether or not X could benefit from another year of working on his game are totally valid. "Get him out of here b/c he doesn't love us enough" is some seriously weak b.s. Who are you to say who's in and who's out of the KU club?
X- I want you back. I want you back for my selfish reasons, but also b/c I think you'll make more money in the long run if you work on your game for another year. But I want you back MAD. The smile and the pleasant demeanor are beautiful qualities as a human being, but on game day I want aggression and control and domination. You're capable of it, and show it at times, but domination can be yours on a daily basis.
And ignore these boneheads that have the audacity to question whether or not you love KU enough. You've handled yourself very well this year. When you represent KU as best you can, you become KU. And the vast majority of us are very, very grateful to have you here for as long as you think it's a good idea to stay.
Topcitykid10 (anonymous) says…
I think Xavier would want to come back but his father wants him to go and get him some cheese. IMO Also I could see Cole coming back, he saw Collins senior speech and i'm sure he would love to do that.
jayhawk_teacher (anonymous) says…
In the Shelby video, he didn't use his left hand once near the rim. And you think he can replace Sherron?!? I'm not buying it.
icthawkfan316 (anonymous) says…
b_barnes - read my analysis of Royce above. Even if you think that he is being underestimated and that maybe what has been speculated about his declaring early hurting his ranking, it's unlikely it hurt him enough to drop him from the #5 recruit (where X was ranked) to the #117 recruit. Also, X is 6'6" 220 lbs. Royce is anywhere from 6'1"-6'3" (depending on which recruiting website you visit) 175 lbs. He is no where near big enough to play the 3, let alone play it as good as X
icthawkfan316 (anonymous) says…
Notwiller - 100% agree about X. He busted his butt while here, on the court and in practices. He improved dramatically on the things the coaches told him to work on. By all accounts he was a great teammate, well liked by everybody. He never once exhibited any kind of prima dona attitude. It would have been easy for him to whine and complain when he was going through about an 8-10 game slump, blaming the coaches or teammates or the system, but he didn't. He kept working hard. He showed great character and earned the right to call himself a Jayhawk.
NotWiller (anonymous) says…
"he was the only one in that locker room not sobbing after the loss to Northern Iowa, he was completely composed...he needs to go"
dmb22aj- you're the king of the @%@$#@ (can't use the word I want to use). i mean, where do you get off making that kind of conclusion based on some single pic or video?
Maybe X loves KU or maybe he can't wait to get to the League. My point is this: you have NO idea what makes this kid tick or what's important to him. Enough of you and anyone else that purports to know what goes on w/ athletes at this level....based on what pic you just saw in the L-J World.
You're pathetically thin level of support for the kids that build and sustain this program is embarrassing. i really hope that potential recruits aren't reading your crap postings. You show ZERO appreciation for the work they do to keep KU at the top. You're a ZERO of a fan.
100 (anonymous) says…
If Cole does stay, how amazing is it that CJ might get a national title at Kansas & X will could be watching from behind the goal (like Julian).
Thanks for a great year X. We'll miss you if you decide to go but we would love you on the Fieldhouse for one more year!
C'mon back Cole Train & get that degree & become a back-to-back Academic All American!
Allen Fieldhouse is where you belong for one more year!!!!
NotWiller (anonymous) says…
Don't get me wrong, I'm mad as hell about the UNI game. I'm mad at the players for not showing up. I'm mad at them all for playing as if they were already good enough several times this year. I'm mad at them for not living up to the potential they had to be something incredibly special. But like Bill says, it can't be a special year unless you perform in the tourney. I'm REALLY mad b/c 11 months ago I put a lot of scarce funds into the NCAA ticket lottery. I'm mad b/c I WON the ticket lottery and had reservations to sleep on the ground in the backyard of the Indianapolis Hostel for $5/night. I'm mad that I don't get to worry about where I'm going to find the gas money to drive to Indy.
But I NEVER feel like it's my prerogative to question the commitment of any of our players. I'm mad that they didn't live up to their potential and to their responsibilities to themselves and each other. But I would never, NEVER doubt whether or not that loss meant something to them. In the end, it may or may not. But who the hell do you think you are to suggest that they feel one way or another?
What did you ever do for KU? Sit in comparative lit class, then calc 2, then walk down the hill and move off to for a job? Wow.....what an amazing contribution YOU made, big guy!
Did you see Self cry after the game? Does that make you question HIS commitment?
Ridiculous..... It's times like these when the players see who supports them and why. It's times like these when you find out how strong your support base really is. Some of you would be more at home in Chapel Hill, where they just stop showing up when "these kids" aren't doing what they're supposed to.
What kind of basketball plantation running s.o.b. are you, with your expectations that you grant access to your precious KU club so that these 19 year-olds can come and work for you? And when their levels of performance and/or displays of emotional commitment don't live up to your standards, you feel like you have the right to tell them they don't belong here anymore???
I vote you jerks off this island.
ABeesus (anonymous) says…
X wasn't timid.
He was protecting his body so he'd be injury free for the pro draft.
Injuries hurt the $ offer.
He's no fool.
He's one and done.
HawkNVegas (anonymous) says…
Just be real, we "want" them to stay so we can do next year what we didn't do this year. Not to say its a for sure they both go, but . . . as Jayhawk fans we want a continuation of a top level ball team. I think with #4 outta here though, the attitude that seemed to prevail this year of, "its my turn to shoot, and I don't care if it disrupts the game because somebody else will pick up the slack," will be gone and a new more positive leader will emerge. Will that translate into a championship? I don't know, but recruiting the right type of players will continue to be a critical part of coach Self's plan.
Lone_salina_kufan (anonymous) says…
Glad to see more reasonable posters toward the bottom of this page. I must be missing something, but what exactly did X do to piss everybody off? To me, I think it all has to do with what his goals are... if his goal is to get to the NBA asap, he is gone, because he will be in the lottery, and he should be. Don't know why everybody keeps tearing him down.
If he wants to be a top 5 pick, then he would likely come back.
Much like baseball, if you wanna be a pro, sign out of high school and get the woodbat in your hand. If you don't want to spend too much time in the minors and be more roster ready, go to college.
If he wants to be pro, go get used to playing the NBA game. If you want to be more ready to impact the game at the NBA level, come back. Some of you people need to realize there is a difference between being ready to be picked in the draft, and being ready to play. X is certainly ready to be picked, and probably, not that far away from playing.
gchawk (anonymous) says…
NotWiller: Amen, couldn't agree with you more. I, too, would like to see X come back, and I fully realize that's for selfish reasons. He is a terrific young man, both he and his brother C.J. are great examples of the student/athletic, as is Cole. I will support Cole and X on whatever decision they make, and you can bet your bottom dollar it will be a well thought-out decision.
ralster (anonymous) says…
Alternative thought: What if we spent much (too much?) of the noncon season trying to set up X for good "looks" and develop X as a player, and thus needed Sherron at PG to do that (not EJ), thus we couldnt spend alot of time developing EJ and TRob (& CJ?). People get alot better quicker playing on the real stage, and with the starters. But we had the Henry experiment, and when he went into a slump for a stretch or in a game, then what was the fallback option? Well, the ever-willing, but steadily tiring gladiator Sherron Collins. God love his heart and effort, but after 2yrs of being the alpha, there's alot of gamefilm of what KU and Sherron like to do when its crunch time...it ends with some burly guy physically taking the ball away from our proud onetime McD AA...
ralster (anonymous) says…
My unstated point above is that team speed and intensity may have beaten UNI, but we played down to their level unwittingly by design, as we didnt exactly have the ready-depth to run them out of the gym, actually playing 8 guys to their 9 or 10. I like Self's aggressive expectations, but wonder does he really believe in 70pt take-what-they-give--or is that our nickname for what we think he does? It seems to me that "dictating" the game speed on the opponent would totally be an aggressive approach, hand-in-hand with everything else Self espouses (toughness, defense, killer instinct/step on their throats, etc...). Very interesting, as always to see what he does with all the pieces. The results this year leave alot of questions, that I dont know the answer to, but will conjecture about with the best of them. Cant wait til November...RCJH!
superdave (anonymous) says…
Watching the game in person, I, and others around me, suggested from the beginning blitz that we press them to change the tempo. As always, we didn't do this until the last 3 minutes and dang near pulled it off. This worked against Memphis a couple years ago, but has fallen short too many times against teams with less athleticism than our team. Our style of play doesn't really take advantage of players' athleticism, and that is why we rarely land the "One and Done" ers. It's also the reason why we get sniped by teams like Bucknell, Bradley, UNI, and OSU. Why would a guy like EJ sit on the bench when his hustle could be utilized? We allow opponents to set the tempo, which should be set by the better team. Games like these come down to who shoots the 3 better, and we can't win all of those. Why do people blame Taylor (or Henry) for this loss. Our All America PG (4-15) was outplayed by a short, slow guy who drained a few 3's and our All America center got outplayed by a slow giant. That is the real reason we lost. They made shots and we missed 'em. In my opinion, it didn't have to come down to whether or not we could make timely 3's.
Jayhawker28 (anonymous) says…
We invested about $23,000 into X (the cost of room, board and tution for out of state students, approximately).
I expect more than a 2nd rd exit to UNI. For all the fuss that he and his dad put up with recruitment, he better come back with a vengence. IMO if he leaves, he will be seen as a wasted talent that did not reach his potential at KU..
You kids agree?
aerohawk (anonymous) says…
milfdestroyer,
Complaining about $23k is a joke and it just makes you look silly. The cost of tuition and housing is irrelevant compared the amount of money that moves through the program. To put it in perspective coach, according to the link below (an LJW article), Coach Self makes $3 million a year and KU BB makes about $15 million a year in PROFIT.
http://www2.kusports.com/news/2010/ma...
jhox (anonymous) says…
If he can get guaranteed money, Xavier would be crazy not to go. I suspect he may be bordering on where he can get guaranteed money though. I've seen him projected as high as 9, as well as quite a bit lower.
Whatever he chooses, I can see it as a plus to KU's program either way. Obviously it would be great to have him back, but if he does go, it sends a message to kids who see themselves as one and done players, that KU is a program that can make that happen. We've never really had a one and done guy, and I suspect that plays against us in recruiting some of the top 10 guys. I don't see recruiting one and done guys as a negative. Some of them surprise you and stick around, like Rush did, or Arthur. Not everybody who thinks they're a one and done guy is ready after that first year.
kranny (anonymous) says…
We need that one player who can create his shot when there isn't one there but he's over 6' 2". I think X could have been that guy but he wasn't aggressive about getting to the rim. I'm talking about a guy who can drive from the 3 point line, take off, fly high over people and freakin' DUNK IT not just lay it in where it might get blocked. We need some more athleticism on the team. Tyshawn tries and he might get there but I think(and I might be mistaken) that Elijah J. and Royce W. will be able if they take the cuffs off them. These boys need to open it up a little bit. To win it all, you need speed and athleticism and a little luck like the 08 team.
100 (anonymous) says…
Kranny (& others),
Let's keep one thing in mind. This 2010 KU team was far and away the best team in the nation this year. It was no contest.
That's why they were chosen by everybody.
It was "one bad game"...
Now truly this was very different from '97 where we were night & day better than everybody & blew it against a hot Freshmen Arizona team, where Roy wouldn't call a timeout & gather his troops. Offensively, we were just off that night & that wasn't Roy's fault. And in his system, you do one thing. That's it. If you lose, you lose.
With the UNI loss, what made this so frustrating is once again we unquestionably were the best team in the nation, although the gap wasn't as big as '97. But no one had Cole & Sherron. No one.
But we do have recurring themes at times that we as a basketball team need to figure out. Why did our 8 players seem so out of shape at times late in the season?
Why do we have problems twice a year against unathletic teams who slow it down & run precise sets?
Why has Self been so good about evolving his coaching?
And what made him forget what he had learned since Bucknell on Saturday?
And lastly, if you ask your players to watch tape, the least you can do is watch tape yourself & learn from it.
We all saw what we needed to do. Seems like 75% of the fans (not coaches) saw the obvious:
UNI felt way (way!!!!) too comfortable dribbling the ball up the court, taking an extra 9 seconds off the game clock every simgle possession.
It was like watching Bucknell again, Aaron Miles waiting on his heels for the opposing point guard to finally (finally!!!) initiate the offense.
It's the NCAA tourney folks. If the plan A is not inspiring your athletes, wake them up. Mix up your looks so UNI doesn't get the exact same thing for 37 minutes...
Take the nervous (waiting to play!!!!!) look out of our eyes!!!!
This is not bashing, I am only asking (hoping) that we can learn from this and not repeat this mistake again....
JayhawkRock (anonymous) says…
Im hearing that Cole is leaning towards coming back...He wants to be the first graduate in his family and he thinks he can improve more with another year.
No word yet from anyone close to X and I dont think we will hear anything until he announces because X is such a private person. It will be easy for him to keep this decision quiet since the media wont have access to him. I expect both to announce their decisions next week though.
jhokfan (anonymous) says…
Would love to see X and Cole return but if they do we would be staring down the barrel of another pre-season number 1.
icthawkfan316 (anonymous) says…
Kranny (and others) - where is this hype coming from regarding Royce Woolridge? Even if nobody bothered to do any research on him I have put it up twice now. He's a 3 star recruit. You know who else were 3 star recruits? Tyrel & Brady. They are good players to be sure, but to expect someone of that caliber to come in and be able to get his own shot, drive from the 3 point line and dunk over people is reaching. The guy is not known as a high flier. He is the 117th ranked recruit by rivals.com. Now, I've already said he could have hurt his ranking by declaring early, and it's possible that everyone misjudged his talent, but probably not enough to where he'll be doing the things you think he can do if Self "takes the cuffs off of him." It's possible he can outperform expectations, but again, probably not enough to get him to be the player you're making him out to be. Don't get me wrong I'm happy to have him. He has wanted to be a Jayhawk for a long time. I think he'll work hard and will help this team at some point. But my best guess is he redshirts next year, because if not we could be looking at "Elijah's freshman year 2.0, minus the highlight reel dunks". Without taking a redshirt, with so many guys in front of him, it could end up being a wasted year of eligibility.
3_4_KU (anonymous) says…
Sherron: The winningest player in KU history. Before you criticize him, remember the dozens of times he bailed us out in critical games throughout his career (2008, he was essential in the tourney, especially against Memphis, 2009, you forgot what he did to the Sooners? and this year, he kept us atop college basketball). I don't disagree he had the worst game of his career in the loss to UNI, he surely knows it too. You cant evaluate him based on 1 game. Plus, I've felt that we were fortunate to have lost only 2 games on the season. We could have easily lost 6, 7 or 8 more games (Memphis, Michigan, Cornell, Nebraska, Iowa St, KState, Colorado, A&M). Mr Collins bailed us out on every single one of these games; without his leadership, we would be a 10 loss team, and barely sneaking into the touney. So, for all the Sherron bashers, you most likely suffer from memory loss.
Henry: He doesn't owe anything to KU. He was awesome all season. Yeah. he had ups and downs, but he's a rookie and has shown tremendous improvement and potential. We begged him to come to KU, when he could have chosen dozens of great schools. Coach Self and KU nation knew he was a one and done player, and we were ecstatic to have him, believing he was the missing piece to get the crown. I, for one, wish him the best in the NBA. He's ready.
Cole: You have 12 hours left to finish school. You're ready for the NBA. Go and finish school when you retire from NBA. I'm pretty sure you can pay your tuition then. You will be missed.
Jayhawk nation will live. I love Marcus; he is our new leader, a monster. The torch has been passed to him. Rock Chalk.
sleep1iopen (anonymous) says…
"Ready to be paid" Was that taken out of context? It's like he's saying that Xavier's true focus is for some money and he's not 100% committed to the program. I could be, and probably am, wrong. Who knows -- that's between them.
Stay in school kids. The real wealth is in knowledge. It's the best time of your lives and you should live it up for all it's worth like Sherron did. Ya know, you could bring another championship home. Or you can go to the money.....it's calling out for you - you greedy souls. But if a new level of competition is what you crave then by all means, get your game on!
Cheers
jayjank (anonymous) says…
I really would want Cole to stay for another year. However, if he stays I would want CBS to use a four big rotation unlike this year. I would hate both Withey and Robinson to waste another year of eligibility. I also think that they are different players than Cole, and we can overpower our opponents down low by having two fresh bigs for all forty minutes. All four can play aggressively, we can dominate the paint and get opponents' bigs in foul trouble. I would also want X to stay. However, if they both stay we won't have a scholarship to give to Selby. I am wondering if Morningstar would give up his scholarship in that case.If X leaves, I think Mario and Releford can replace him. X definitely has more upside than those two. But he was just a freshman this year and wasn't a big difference maker. As far as replacing Collins, I believe that we can be a better defensive team next year on the perimeter. Don't get me wrong, I love Collins and we'll definitely miss him. But he didn't have the physical tools to be a great defender because of his length and his weight and his minutes (I believe 33 minutes per game) . But by changing our playing style we can compensate losing him. I mean employing a very aggressive perimeter defense with constant ball pressure and half court traps we can again be a national contender. I want to see a very physical, high energy team overpowering, suffocating and crushing opponents instead of a team that take what opponents give them. I think we can do that with a 10 man rotation by playing high tempo basketball.
100 (anonymous) says…
Cole & X, the NBA will always be there, stay & become better & enjoy the best year of your life...
Bring home that degree Cole!!!
(and become a back to back Academic All American!!!!)
Rock Chalk Jayhawk!!!
tahawk81 (anonymous) says…
I say they should both go this year. One thing I dont think is talked about enough is the NBA could be on strike after next year, where would that leave them then? And who knows what the changes would bring to salaries post-strike. Im sure they wont be any higher. They are both good enough to be drafted first round. Even if X isn't a lottery, he should go in this unique circumstance.
minnhawk84 (anonymous) says…
I keep hearing rumors of a lockout in the NBA next season -- no season, no money. How does that help Cole or X if that is the case? They may earn a signing bonus, but not having an NBA season next year doesn't bring home the bacon.
icthawkfan316 (anonymous) says…
minnhawk - it's not next season, it's after next season. The collective bargaining agreement expires after the '10-'11 season, so an impending lockout would affect the '11-'12 season. Anybody who enters the draft this year will be able to play one season under the current CBA.
BeakofLight (anonymous) says…
Notwiller, et al.,
Take a deep breath, the sun will come up tomorrow.
Personally, im indifferent in so far as criticizing these young men is concerned.
If one so choses to voice their opinion regarding a player, so be it; if one choses to pick up the pom-poms and 'rah-rah' a certain player, again, so be it.
Alas, there is one thing everyone must bear in mind: everyone of these young men made a conscious decision to play basketball at the university of kansas knowing full well they would be subject to microscopic scrutiny.
Along with the benevolent adulation comes sharp, cutting criticism. It comes with the territory.
If they didnt/dont want it, then they would have gone to play in 'ho-hum' environments such as austin or seattle.
It is the game they chose to play.
It is what it is.
Relax.
KsJim (anonymous) says…
After reading down to here, I'd like to put my thoughts in also. First X, he does remind me a lot of B Rush in many ways. And just like Rush, I think it would be to his advantage to return another year. The problem I see is the Dad wanting to live vicariously through his sons. JMHO
As for Cole, he is what..12 hours from a degree? Yes he wants to be the first in his family to get a degree. But how's this thought. He will be the first in his family to earn several million dollars a year for many years. His family has been struggling. So which is more important, a piece of paper that will hang on the wall, or help his loved ones? For me, the choice would be easy. Some of you seem to think that being a millionaire pro BB player stops you from picking up 12 more hours at a later time to graduate. Get real!!!
ralster (anonymous) says…
Kranny,
I will answer your groping, desparate question for "a guy over 6'2" who can create his own shot or fly in for a dunk" with a 'hopeful' reply: You completely forgot 6'5" Mario Little, and 6'5" Travis Releford. Both coming off redshirts, both healthy, and both now in SelfBall x 2yrs. Both long enough and quick enough to guard the perimeter better than this year. Both with better quickness than Xavier. Have you seen a better pull-up jumper than Little's? And he has been working bigtime on his 3ball. And we have all seen the ultraquick slashing of Releford--so he arrived from h.school already with that ability, and basically is spending 2yrs working on D, and the SelfBall system. Xavier was inconsistently aggressive. I would LOVE to gain a penetrating 6'5" scorer--all the other teams have a guy like that.
------------------------------------
Look at the athletecism: MkM, McM, Little, TT, EJ (starters) with
Backups: Withey, TRob, Releford (who can also play a tall 2), Brady, Reed.
------------------------------------
Look for the return of smooth, fast transition offense like 08, fed by better defense and better athletes on the floor. Xavier looked like an NBA body and has an NBA 3gun, but exactly what he lacks is what Little/Releford could add. So as a 'composite', lookout for KU from the wing position!
Jayhawker28 (anonymous) says…
Releford doesn't shoot the ball well enough to play 2. Or at least he hasn't yet.
jhokfan (anonymous) says…
BeakofLight:
While I agree with your post, being born and raised in Seattle I have to take exception with your "ho-hum" description. Hec-Ed is no match for AFH but Seattle is a great town. I still get your point though.
OakvilleJHawk (anonymous) says…
yesterday is gone
tomorrow awaits beyond
today we wonder
hawkinnebr (anonymous) says…
Henry, Cole, Taylor, Reed, and Morningstar all go to the NBA. We don't need any of you guys. We need new players who want to play for KU. These guys need to leave.
KUGreenMachine (anonymous) says…
Mark my words...Slogan for 2010-2011 season "Refuse to Lose":
-Cole will come back to graduate first, but will get X to stay by telling him that if they both come back, they will win the Championship.
-X will secretly know that he's not ready for the NBA, and will disguise it by saying that he and Cole are coming back to win the national championship.
-We will get a top 5, one and done pg, he will not live up to his potential.
-Elijah Johnson, Mario Little, Travis Releford, and Thomas Robinson will have break out seasons.
-The twins will grow in to disciplined players that show their toughness without fouling.
-KU will once again be the consensus preseason #1.
-KU will remain #1 for a majority of the season except for 2 strategic losses mapped out by Bill Self to give the team the greatest chance to peak at the last game of the year.
-Many Jayhawk fans will have DejaVu thinking of how much the season reminds them of the 09-10 season, however, with the progression of the twins, and the added bonuses of the sophomores and redshirts, who were denied playing time and are hungry, and the experience and talent of Cole and X, who know they have to play to their potential to make the most money in the draft, the Jayhawks actually dominate the midmajors and any other team that gets in their way of a National Title because they simply will "Refuse to Lose".
jhawk7782 (Mike) says…
Time for all to move on.
ramsrevenge (anonymous) says…
we're all so passionate about ku basketball...why can't we assume cole and x are the same way? They should want to come back and prove they're better if they're true hawks! Who cares about money. Is that all its about anymore??? Sad if it is and you're not a tue hawk if its just about money!
ramsrevenge (anonymous) says…
Okay...you can be a true hawk and still like money. Lol. @ that age I would have taken a couple million and dropped out of school! I see the difference in roy and bills recruiting a little more now too...roy wouldn't have wasted his time with X.