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Kansas University sophomore basketball player Christian Garrett is seeing the world during a memorable spring/summer of 2012.
The 6-foot-3, 185-pound walk-on guard from Los Angeles recently spent two weeks in Poland and Germany with former KU guard Jordan Juenemann as a member of Athletes in Action’s college all-star team.
In August, he and the Jayhawks will be heading to Switzerland and Paris to play six exhibition games.
“I’m definitely excited to go back with my teammates and see another part of Europe that I haven’t seen. I think the food will be better where we’re going than Poland and Germany,” Garrett said with a smile.
“Some places were nice. Some not very good at all. That’s how it is,” he added of restaurants overseas. “It’s definitely fun to travel, but it makes you appreciate America more. The United States is so special. Traveling makes you appreciate it.”
The Athletes in Action squad, which was coached by Baylor assistant Tim Maloney, went 6-0 on its trip against pro teams in Germany and Poland’s national team.
“We won every game by 40 (points) at least,” Garrett said. “We did really well. It was really fun. I was backing up Brady Heslip of Baylor at point guard. He’s a really good player. I got a lot of assists, which was good. I did fine. I played my role.”
Playing time was divided almost equally, with the players taking turns in the starting lineup. The roster consisted of the two KU players, plus Heslip and Deuce Bello of Baylor, Memphis’ Drew Barham, Virginia’s Akii Mitchell, Mercer’s Daniel Coursey, Marquette’s Jamil Wilson, Tennessee’s Josh Richardson and Texas Arlington’s Jordan Reves and Karol Gruszecki.
“We focused on ministry, too, just how to play to glorify God and get close to the Lord,” Garrett said. “It was the best of both worlds, growing as a basketball player and how God can influence your sport was the main focus.”
Garrett said highlights included visiting Auschwitz in Poland and various sites in Berlin.
“My personal highlight was the bond I developed with all the players there,” Garrett said. “Taking that and seeing what I have here with my teammates is so awesome. Basketball was great, ministry stuff was great, but really, meeting new people and seeing how God works in their lives was really cool.”
Since he’s been back, he has liked what he’s seen from KU’s players on the 2012-13 team.
“I think we have depth, unlike last year,” Garrett said. “We are young again. Summer will help our new guys get used to stuff. The guys returning are really good — Travis (Releford, Garrett’s roommate), Elijah (Johnson) and Jeff (Withey) are our leaders. I think we’ll be good again. I’m excited to get to work.
“After last year, everybody is excited to get back to that place,” he added of the Final Four. “We just have to work hard.”
Doyle joins KU team: Milton Doyle, the newest member of KU’s recruiting class of 2012, arrived on KU’s campus Sunday afternoon. His Jayhawker Towers roommate is fellow freshman Tyler Self. Doyle, a 6-4 combo guard from Chicago’s Marshall High, averaged 19 points, eight rebounds, five assists and five steals a game his senior season. The second-team Chicago Tribune all-stater is unranked by Rivals.com.
Frankamp a finalist: Future KU guard Conner Frankamp is one of 14 finalists for USA Basketball’s men’s Under 17 world championship team. The final 12-member team is expected to be announced Wednesday. The U.S. team will compete in the 2012 Spain U17 Invitational on June 22-25 in Canary Islands, then travel to Lithuania for the worlds. The squad is led by Jabari Parker, a senior forward from Chicago’s Simeon High. Frankamp is a 6-foot guard from Wichita North who has committed to KU.
KU coach Bill Self talks about signing of Andrew Wiggins May 14, 2013
Ben McLemore interview March 28, 2013
360 QTR of Cowboy Stadium March 28, 2013
Jayhawks arrive in Dallas March 27, 2013
Jeff Withey talks about the team staying loose March 23, 2013
Comments
ukanjhox 11 months, 1 week ago
Frankamp = extreme stud. Very excited to have him on campus next year.
And how bad is Poland's national basketball team? Getting beaten by 40 by Garrett's "All Star" team? Sheesh.
OakvilleJHawk 11 months, 1 week ago
Yeah, but we 'd get our butts kicked in a polka tournament!! :)
hawk316 11 months, 1 week ago
I met Christian soon after he arrived in Lawrence and was very impressed with him. Really classy young man. He seems to represent both KU and Jesus very well.
Glad you had such a great experience with AIA, Christian!
JayDogger 11 months, 1 week ago
I'm getting more and more excited about Frankamp. I had thought of him as an undersized SG but I'm starting to think he could be a legit D-1 PG. Time will tell...
I know people are excited about Anthony Barber as a possible future PG, but with Tharpe two years ahead of him and two combo guards (Adams, Doyle) coming in the year before and Frankamp looking so good, coupled with HCBS's propensity to favor experience, I'm thinking it's going to be tough to get a high-ranked PG in the class of '13. And maybe we don't need to.
Tharpe, Adams and Doyle are still question marks, but hopefully we'll be more confident in them nine months from now. And Frankamp may be the high-ranked PG we want, which would be awesome, because I'm sure he's a four-year player.
Well done, Garrett and Jeuneman. I'm glad you got some good playing time and had fun over in Europe.
JayDogger 11 months, 1 week ago
Oops, meant "Juenemann."
BayHawkaholic 11 months, 1 week ago
Frankamp could be to basketball what Reesing was to football.
hometownhawk 11 months, 1 week ago
Yeah, he could really rescue KU basketball from the depths of despair...
What the heck are you talking about?
hawk316 11 months, 1 week ago
I think Bay meant that "big things sometimes come in small packages." Although small, Reesing was a dynamic talent. Frankamp is somewhat undersized, as well, but both Bay and I expect big things out of him.
BayHawkaholic 11 months, 1 week ago
I was referring to his size. He looks and seems like he might be "the little engine that could" in college. Frankamp is listed at 6-0" and 160. Not small for HS, but perhaps a little small for college.
I asked earlier if anyone knew how tall or big his parents are, to try and guess his potential physical development. He's likely to grow, but how much? If he adds an inch or two and 20=30 lbs. he could have an NBA body by the time he's an upperclassman. If not, he could be one of those kids who is remembered as a great college player. As in, the kind of kid we all love to root for. Like Reesing.
That's what the heck I was talking about. Just making pleasant conversation. Sorry to annoy you, and thanks for reaming me.
hawk316 11 months, 1 week ago
Bay, don't let these kinds of negative comments get to you. If you comment on this site very often, you can expect to get reamed on occasion. Unfortunately, it goes with the territory.
Someone once said, "out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks."
BayHawkaholic 11 months, 1 week ago
LOL. Thank you. I mistakenly thought it sprang from another source (as in "diarrhea of the mouth"). Noting the rash of send-first, think-second-itis going around. I'll pick up some skinthickener at the store.
ralster 11 months, 1 week ago
Jeez. Conner Frankamp is 6'2, and I saw him effortlessly dunk it last week. Kid is a baller.
BayHawkaholic 11 months, 1 week ago
ESPN still lists him as 6-0", 155lbs. Rivals at 6-0" 160. Max Preps now has him at 6-1" 160, and Scout at 6-1" 165 lbs. Unfortunately I can't effortlessly hop on a plane to watch him dunk as he apparently Hudyizes himself before our eyes.
T-Robb's 6-10" listing caught a lot of flak. Apparently it works the other way as well. Sorry for my unwarranted concern. Trying to follow KU from afar is my hobby, not my full time job, but I'm glad to see that CF is shooting up. Never questioned his ability to ball.
I appreciate your clarification, but not the condescending attitude. Jeez. It seems the natives are getting restless . . .
ParisHawk 11 months, 1 week ago
chi_town24 said it first: Doyle to KU on Sunday.
Opinions are one thing, but he had the facts.
KEITHMILES05 11 months, 1 week ago
He didn't explain what they did in practical terms of the "ministry." We are to daily worship the Lord and draw close but I'd like to hear how they went about that on this trip.
OakvilleJHawk 11 months, 1 week ago
Jesus loves college basketball!!
FoCoCoHawk 11 months, 1 week ago
Pretty sure Jesus would be a 3...solid cross-court passer...can get up with the best of them...a little passive on defense but plays with passion...definitely listens to the coach...the NCAA would find academic anomalies tho.
OakvilleJHawk 11 months, 1 week ago
Come on..Jesus would be a solid 5. Great hands, so fast almost invisible, unstoppable heavenly hook, Super supportive Father!!
GoHawkYourself 11 months, 1 week ago
the great thing about an imaginary character is he can be whatever you want him to be
OakvilleJHawk 11 months, 1 week ago
Boy, are you in for a surprise!!
hawk316 11 months, 1 week ago
If I'm not mistaken, Keith, during halftime of the games, some of the AIA players will share with those in attendance what a positive difference Jesus Christ has made in their lives. Hopefully, such honest testimonies will encourage others to check it out for themselves.
This calls to mind the famous quote by D.T. Miles, "Evangelism is just one beggar telling another beggar where to find bread."
konkeyDong 11 months, 1 week ago
The more of Milton Doyle I've seen, the more I'm becoming convinced that he might be able to buck the OAF trend if he's willing to stick it out:
http://ballislife.com/milton-doyle/
Compare to Merv Lindsay:
Mervyn Lindsay: 09-10 CSHS Highlight Tape by merv lindsay
Milton's definitely a more versatile player. There are a million reasons he won't get significant PT as a frosh, but I could see him developing if he can stomach not seeing the floor much. As for the mystery of Chi, his name is Willie Green and evidently he works at Target.
Of course, Milton will have to beat out this Cat if he signs with us:
Anthony "Big Cat" Barber Getting BUCKETS This Spring; Crafty 2013 PG by MeetMeAtTheRim
Barber's big two right now are us and Bama. Luckily, this time his family isn't from Bama, so they don't have a natural edge compared to how things went with Trevor Lacey.
OakvilleJHawk 11 months, 1 week ago
Did you notice that though he is right-handed, he goes to his left with great skill and success....me like!!!
OakvilleJHawk 11 months, 1 week ago
PS What is OAF? One & Fled? One & Forgotten? One & Funked?
DanR 11 months, 1 week ago
F stands for Fiction
konkeyDong 11 months, 1 week ago
jaybate coined the term, I believe, for one and flush. One and fled might be a little more polite, though. OAT might be more accurate for one and transfer, but OAF was funny.
Viking76 11 months, 1 week ago
I typically appreciate Jaybate's work, and One And Flush was funny at the time … but I'd like to respectfully suggest that anyone who devotes a year to diligent practice in the Crimson & Blue -- whether they stick long term or not -- deserves to be viewed as better than "flush worthy." (Troublemakers and malcontents excepted.)
lothario64118 11 months, 1 week ago
only problem is Bama would probably start the guy whereas he may not at KU.
konkeyDong 11 months, 1 week ago
Bama may start Barber off the bat, but they've got a lot of young guards right now, among them TRel's cousin Trevor. Given how young our team is gonna be for the 2013-14 season, Barber may actually have a better chance getting big minutes with us rather than Bama. His dream school is actually Duke, but an offer from them doesn't appear to be forthcoming.
jayhawkpam 11 months, 1 week ago
Trevor is Travis' brother
LTCUSARet 11 months, 1 week ago
Barber is calling Duke is "dream school" at present, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uPU75y... but so far K does not seem interested (no offer yet according to Rivals page for Barber http://rivals.yahoo.com/ncaa/basketball/recruiting/player-Anthony-Barber-108157).
I'd love to see him in C&B, but expect KU and Bama to be out of the picture if Duke offers.
MoonwalkMafia66 11 months, 1 week ago
I completely agree. I don't want HEM to have an aneurysm, but dude needs to get over it. I'm not saying he's going to be the second coming, but he does look good in his videos...especially when compared to Merv Lindsay. Never mind the fact that Merv played in a crap area against inferior talent, and Doyle plays in CHICAGO, a recruiting hotbed. He did have to sit out a year, which certainly hurt his recruiting also. Look, I don't care if this guy pans out, I hope he does, but I'm not going to lose sleep over it. It's summertime so there's not a lot to talk about, so I don't really care if people spend their days speculating over whether our recruits are going to be good or not. But to come on here and bash people over their opinions is contradictory to the claim that this guy sucks. Because if he does, leave it be and everything will fall into place.
jaybate 11 months, 1 week ago
"Some Headlines from the Gdansk Times Picayune"
~AIA Nearly Crucified in Krakow, Rises in Rzeszow
~Three Wise Men--Garrett, Juenneman, Heslip--Triple Threats in Trinities at Tarnow
~AIA Measured Polish and German Basket Heights, Found All to Be Regulation--5.48 Cubits
~Fundamentalist Hoopahs Building Cultural Bridges with German Reformation Sects, Eastern Orthodox Catholics, Roman Catholics, Orthodox and Unorthodox Jews, Islamists, plus Two Wild and Crazy Guys from New York on Vacation in Katowice.
~AIA Going Ecumenical, Recruiting Eastern Orthodox Point Guard from Bialystok, Hassidic Postman from Lublin, Lutheran Power Forward from Leipzig, and an Islamist Tatar Glue 3 from Poznan
~Basketball Reducing Religious Prejudices in EU the Way It Reduced Race Prejudice in USA; St. Jimmy Smiling in Everyone's Heaven
~AIA Coach Cites Great Religious Fundamentals of Euro Players, Challenges AIA Players to Saint-Up
~AIA Players Shout "JChrist Luv You" During Dunks, "Lord Fo'give Me," After Blow-Bys: Still Say "Shoot Me Sum 'ade, Suckuh," When Thirsty
~AIA Players Identify with Poland Always Being Caught Between Conquering Powers, Say: Live and Let Live to Christians, Jews, Islamists, Atheists, Occultists, States, Transnational Corporations, Secret Societies, Terror Organizations and Jenny Craig Fanatics.
~Religion Starts No More Wars than Advances in Munitions Technology Makes Feasible in the Minds of Deluded Leaders, Says Humble AIA Jock Washer jaybate in Warsaw's Brewskies'n'Kielbasas While U Wash Laundramat
~AIA Request to Put Crosses in Shooting Squares to Stop Shooting Slump Denied by European Religious Basketball Federation, Seen as Too Unfair of an Advantage for Fundies
~Polish Fans Still Not Comfortable with So Few Consonants in Most AIA Players Names, Cite Karol Gruszecki as Easiest To Pronounce
(Note: All fiction. No malice. All joking aside, Solidarnosc forever. It started in Gdansk.)
JayCeph 11 months, 1 week ago
Love this. He shoots, he scorns! ;D
jaybate 11 months, 1 week ago
:-)
mushhawk 11 months, 1 week ago
Garrett should hang out with Simien. They would have lots to talk about.
Or "one thing" to talk about anyway. :)
wrwlumpy 11 months, 1 week ago
Thanskzx
GoHawkYourself 11 months, 1 week ago
2 religious articles in 24 hours, lets try to keep it to a minimum.
beakem_in_Oz 11 months, 1 week ago
You're aware of the option to not read anything on here - or the entire Internet - right?
GoHawkYourself 11 months, 1 week ago
I am aware of that, I was also under the impression that KUSports would stick to sports and exclude fantasy land. Had this article talked about his trip to Mecca and how muhammad influences the sport of basketball, every comment on here would be asking why they needed to include that.
ParisHawk 11 months, 1 week ago
It says here Frankamp made the U17 team yesterday. http://www.catchitkansas.com/sports/cik-frankamp-named-to-usa-basketball-national-development-team-20120618,0,7766137.story
jaybate 11 months, 1 week ago
A lot of things can be debated, but one thing that seems increasingly indisputable: the longer MU is in the SEC the fewer trolls and lurkers this sight has to put up with.
It makes me wonder: were all those Memphis and UK yahoos really just Fizzou yahoos?
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