Self ‘proud’ of Rookie of the Year Wiggins

By Gary Bedore     May 1, 2015

Minnesota Timberwolves' Andrew Wiggins holds his trophy at a news conference after he was named NBA basketball Rookie of the Year, Thursday, April 30, 2015, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Jim Mone)

Minnesota Timberwolves guard Andrew Wiggins on Thursday became the second player out of Kansas University to be named NBA Rookie of the Year.

Wilt Chamberlain earned the accolade with the Philadelphia Warriors in 1959-60.

“We’re all so proud of Andrew. He obviously had a fabulous rookie season and showed he has the potential to be a great pro,” KU coach Bill Self said Thursday. “He represented Kansas basketball in a big way and is a great ambassador for us. Him winning the rookie of the year will certainly allow him to continue to be a great representative for our program.”

Wiggins — he and Danny Manning (1988) are the only two KU players in history to be tapped No. 1 overall in the draft — averaged 16.9 points and 4.6 rebounds in 82 games for Minnesota after averaging 17.1 ppg and setting KU’s all-time freshman scoring mark (597 points) in his one season at KU.

Wiggins and adidas on Thursday introduced the Crazylight Boost 2015 — Andrew Wiggins Rookie of the Year Edition. Adidas states that the basketball shoe was inspired by Wiggins’ path from Canada to the NBA. The shoe features maple leaves to pay homage to his home country and combines the colors of his high school, the Kansas Jayhawks and the Minnesota Timberwolves. It will be available at adidas.com.

Brown cuts KU: Jaylen Brown, a 6-foot-7 senior forward from Wheeler High in Marietta, Georgia, eliminated KU from his list of schools Thursday, according to 247sports.com and Rivals.com, leaving Michigan, Cal, North Carolina and Kentucky as his finalists. Brown has said he would prefer attending an adidas school. Michigan is the only remaining adidas school on his list.

Mack on radar: KU continues to recruit Tevin Mack, a 6-6, 200-pound small forward from Dreher High in Columbia, South Carolina, who is ranked No. 61 nationally by Rivals.com and No. 48 by ESPN. Mack recently decommitted from VCU when Shaka Smart took the Texas job. He has a list of KU, Texas and Georgia.

On Monday, Mack’s mom, Paula, told Columbia’s The State newspaper she spoke with Self, Smart and Georgia coach Mark Fox as well as a coach from UCLA on Monday. Wistv.com reports that Mack has also heard from Michigan State, Gonzaga and Alabama.

“They were all telling me how much they can use him and how much they need him, ” Mack told thestate.com. “They all want him. All three said how bad they needed him, especially Kansas. He (Self) said he needed a big scoring guard.”

Initially, Mack had planned to announce his choice today, his birthday. That does not now figure to happen.

Florida duo to reconsider?: Florida could have two signees back on the market following coach Billy Donovan’s departure to the OKC Thunder. Noah Dickerson, a 6-8, 245-pound forward from Montverde (Florida) Academy, is ranked No. 81 by Rivals.com. KeVaughn Allen, a 6-2 combo guard from North Little Rock (Arkansas) High, is ranked No. 67.

Tourney on tap: The Jayhawk Invitational will run today through Sunday at Drive5 Sports Center (Overland Park), New Century Fieldhouse (New Century), as well as Olathe South, Olathe East and Olathe North high schools. Eudora sophomore standout Mitchell Ballock plays for the 17 and Under KC Run GMC team. Go to jayhawkinvitational.com for a schedule.

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