Self confirms 2016-17 Jayhawks survive Boot Camp

By Matt Tait     Sep 29, 2016

Nick Krug
Kansas freshman Josh Jackson gets stretched out before the Jayhawks' fifth day of Boot Camp in the practice gym on Friday, Sept. 23, 2016 just after 6 a.m.

Kansas men’s basketball coach Bill Self on Thursday confirmed that every player who started Boot Camp two weeks ago made it through the grueling nine-day preseason conditioning test.

As he indicated from start to finish, Self said he was pleased with the way both his veterans and newcomers attacked the conditioning tests thrown at them by the Kansas coaching staff.

“It was probably one of our better boot camps,” Self said. “Certainly, the guys were pretty well conditioned, without question. They really not only worked hard, but they really helped each other the entire two weeks. I think our team got closer throughout the camp.

“I’m surprised they did as well as they did,” he added. “I thought that everybody would finish but I had no idea that the Malik Newman’s and Evan Maxwell’s of the world would have done as well as they did being their first time going through it.

Self said freshman big man Udoka Azubuike was the only Jayhawk who did not complete all nine days of conditioning, but most of the reason behind that was the coaching staff’s decision to be cautious with the 7-foot 17-year-old.

Nick Krug
The Jayhawks' practice gear hangs on racks in the practice gym on Friday, Sept. 23, 2016 just after 6 a.m.

“Udoka got nicked up and we are still not letting him come out there and stress his strained groin,” Self said. “We’ve been told he should be healthy whenever practice starts. That is what our goal is for him.”

The first official practice of the season, of course, is scheduled for Saturday’s Late Night in the Phog. It remains to be seen whether Azubuike will participate in the full spectrum of events (he likely won’t scrimmage) slated for the 32nd annual Late Night event. But things look good for Azubuike to return in time for KU’s first actual practice, which Self has said would take place Wednesday, Oct. 5.

Self credited several players for strong leadership, especially during the final two days of Boot Camp, when the players experienced maximum strain.

“I thought the last two days were tough and guys kind of got on an island a little bit, which I think is very common because it was difficult,” Self said. “I thought that Landen (Lucas), Frank (Mason III) and Tyler (Self) were all terrific. They were just not as vocal as they could have been the last couple days. I thought that Lagerald (Vick), Devonte’ (Graham), Carlton (Bragg Jr.), Josh (Jackson), Svi (Mykhailiuk) and Mitch (Lightfoot) really took a big step forward being more vocal.”

For Mason, a senior, Thursday’s final day of Boot Camp represented the final Boot Camp test of his career.

“It was a great feeling to know I was done with boot camp forever,” Mason said. “But it was a little sad to know it was my last time doing one of the toughest conditioning sessions I have ever done in my life. No real surprises. I think everyone did a good job, honestly. Everyone was mentally tough because I think that is what it is all about.”

On the other end of the spectrum, freshman Josh Jackson went through Boot Camp for the first — and likely only — time in his life.

“Going in, I knew it would be tough just based off what the guys were telling me,” Jackson said Thursday. “I think the key thing to making it through Boot Camp was having guys around that were going to encourage each other and bring energy every day. I think the toughest part about it was waking up every morning, really early, and trying to get motivated to get through it. I had a lot of help from my teammates. I helped them out by bringing energy and telling each other that we could get through it.”

Jackson said it might take a while to truly embrace that Boot Camp is now behind him.

“I don’t really think it will set in until tomorrow morning when I don’t have to wake up at five in the morning,” he said. “It felt really good to know we accomplished something like that because it wasn’t easy to do.”

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Written By Matt Tait

A native of Colorado, Matt moved to Lawrence in 1988 and has been in town ever since. He graduated from Lawrence High in 1996 and the University of Kansas in 2000 with a degree in Journalism. After covering KU sports for the University Daily Kansan and Rivals.com, Matt joined the World Company (and later Ogden Publications) in 2001 and has held several positions with the paper and KUsports.com in the past 20+ years. He became the Journal-World Sports Editor in 2018. Throughout his career, Matt has won several local and national awards from both the Associated Press Sports Editors and the Kansas Press Association. In 2021, he was named the Kansas Sportswriter of the Year by the National Sports Media Association. Matt lives in Lawrence with his wife, Allison, and two daughters, Kate and Molly. When he's not covering KU sports, he likes to spend his time playing basketball and golf, listening to and writing music and traveling the world with friends and family.