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April 8, 2009
Former Jayhawk Darnell Jackson picked up a start on Sunday for the Cleveland Cavaliers.
As much as I had hoped that the starting nod came because Cleveland coach Mike Brown began to see the same kinds of things that Jayhawk fans marveled at during Jackson’s final season on Mt. Oread, it was not to be. Jackson merely got the call because regular starter, Anderson Varejao, a fifth-year pro, was sidelined with an injured wrist.
No matter.
While in there, Jackson made the most of his first career start. He finished with 4 points, 5 rebounds and 1 block in 24 minutes. Not bad numbers, considering LeBron James was one of the four other Cavs on the floor with Jackson.
What’s more, the Cavs won the game, 101-81, and pushed their home record to 37-1 on the season.
Here’s the fun part about Jackson’s first start — his opponent, the San Antonio Spurs, featured two former Jayhawks, point guard Jacque Vaughn and power forward Drew Gooden. In fact, Jackson and Gooden spent a handful of minutes guarding each other. I’m sure the matchup brought back a few memories from the alumni battles in the summer at Coach Self’s camp.
So what? Jackson started a game, plays around 7-10 minutes per contest and has found a nice little niche on a really good team. Big deal, right? Well, it might be.
With Cleveland, Jackson is in position to win a championship ring for the second straight season — one with the Jayhawks in 2008 and one with the Cavs in 2009. As the likely top seed in the East, the Cavs are in position to route the road to the Finals through Cleveland.
There’s still a long way to go before the Cavs are crowned kings of the NBA, but if Jackson pulls off the feat — with a little help from LeBron & Co., of course — he’d become the first player since Billy Thompson did it with the Los Angeles Lakers in 1986 to win a ring in college one year and follow it up by winning a shiny piece of hand jewelry in the pros the next.
Who?
Billy Thompson, a player not unlike Jackson on that legendary Lakers team. Thompson appeared in 59 games for the Lakers during the 1986-87 season. He averaged about 13 minutes per game along with 5.6 points, 2.9 rebounds and 1 assist.
Thompson, who won the 1986 NCAA title with Louisville (out of a Final Four that included KU), is one of just two players to accomplish the feat in the past 30 years.
The other? None other than Lakers legend Magic Johnson, who followed up his 1979 NCAA title at Michigan State with a title with the Lakers in a rousing, 4-2 series victory over the Philadelphia 76ers his rookie season. The title, of course, was the first of many for Magic, who was named MVP of the NBA Finals that season.
Other than those two Lakers, the next player who came the closest to accomplishing the feat was former Jayhawk, Mark Randall, who lost in the 1991 NCAA title game with Kansas (72-65 to Duke) and was on the Chicgao Bulls team that won the NBA title in 1992.
Will Jackson be next? Or could Miami Heat point guard Mario Chalmers — whose team currently is No. 5 in the Eastern Conference — sneak in and steal the show.
History suggests that neither player has much of a shot. But with LeBron on his side, Jackson’s got a legitimate chance.
The NBA’s regular season ends Wednesday and the playoffs are slated to begin April 19.
Comments
dagger108 (anonymous) says...
"Mark Randall, who lost in the 1992 NCAA title game with Kansas (72-65 to Duke) and was on the Chicgao Bulls team that won the NBA title in 1992."
Those title games would have been 3 months apart. Randall couldn't even have been drafted during that time.
April 8, 2009 at 8:39 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
ESUjayhawk (anonymous) says...
Matt,
Did you just take my comment from Monday and run with it???
"Only four people have ever won an NCAA title and an NBA title in consecutive years... Bill Russell, Henry Bibby, Magic Johnson and Billy Thompson... Pretty elite company... Good luck Darnell... Keep up the hard work"
April 6, 2009 at 2:44 p.m.
Hahaha... Just kidding... Thanks for digging deeper... Keep up the good work
April 8, 2009 at 8:45 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
matt_tait Matt Tait says...
dagger- Just a small typo.... Randall, of course, played in the '91 title game with KU. Too many dates to keep straight in this one, particularly with the seasons being 1991-92 or 1986-87. Thanks for catching that. The point still holds.
ESUjayhawk - that's pretty cool that you posted that Monday.... In all honesty, I didn't even see it. Guess we were just working on the same wave length there. Maybe that means Darnell's got a real shot. Either way, thanks for the post.
April 8, 2009 at 9:07 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Yahweh (anonymous) says...
I've got to hand it to you LJW staff bloggers, you guys have an incredible knack to think up some of the most obscure stats I've (n)ever heard of. Congratulations for obvious love of the game/too much time on your hands (I mean this in only the nicest way as a fellow junkie).
April 8, 2009 at 11:52 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
jayhawkr34 (anonymous) says...
Just like the old saying "good things happen to good people", good luck DJ and we in the Jayhawk Nation are pulling for you and the Cavs!
April 8, 2009 at 12:16 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
4mertiger (anonymous) says...
No one deserves to succeed more than Darnell - he's probably my all-time favorite Jayhawk, followed closely by Wayne Simien and Scot Pollard. Can't forget Greg Ostertag interrupting his NBA career to give a kidney to his sister, either.
I've never been "into" the Cavaliers, but with DJ on the team I'm rooting for them at the top of my lungs.
D-Block Rocks!!
April 8, 2009 at 12:30 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
timecronk (anonymous) says...
Here's one. Which current NBA stars ended their college careers with a loss to Kansas? I can think of a group of point guards: Jason Kidd, Dwyane Wade, Steve Nash, Derrick Rose. Someone go research it.
April 8, 2009 at 12:31 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Strikewso (anonymous) says...
That's interesting, I hope he pulls it off. Howver, I wouldn't complain if Boston and Jayhawk Paul Pierce win again. I haven't really been following the NBA this year and didn't realize how good Cleveland is, that really says something about Darnell starting the other day.
That '92 KU team should have been in the Final 4, they blew it against UTEP in the second round. I still haven't gotten over that one. So many of Roy's teams choked like that, I wish his UNC teams would do the same but no luck.
April 8, 2009 at 12:49 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
aznguyen316 (anonymous) says...
hmm there should be another, I heard of two, but not of BIlly Thompson. What about Rip Hamilton? He won w/ Uconn right? and of course Pistons. And another from Kentucky in their Championship in '98 and won with I forget who later but not as a major player. Hmmmm
April 8, 2009 at 1:14 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Torisen (anonymous) says...
Re: Timecronk's question - I did a little comparison of schools a while back. Here were the rules: If an NBA player's last college game was in the NCAA tournament, the winning school of that game gets credit for that player. So... win the tournament, you get credit for your team (if they immediately leave for the NBA). Lose in the tournament, and the team that beat you gets any of your players who go into the draft.
Going back to 1984, I'd put Kansas as having the 2nd best "scalp collection" (possibly 1st if you stop at 1985). They get credit for: Derrick Rose 2008, Dwayne Wayde 2003, Steve Nash 1996, Rick Fox 1991, Mitch Richmond 1988, Danny Manning 1988, and anyone from last year's team who go on to all-star level careers.
3rd place is probably Duke, with Gilbert Arenas, Glen Robinson, Christian Laettner, Larry Johnson & Jayson Williams.
The top team, though... especially if you count 1984... has to be Indiana. Mo Williams 2003, Carlos Boozer 2002, Eddie Jones 1994, Shaquile O'Neal 1992, Tim Hardaway 1989 and... Michael Jordan 1984.
Arkansas, Ucon, Kentucky and North Carolina all had 4 all-star scalps, and Utah, Michigan and Georgetown each had 3 - if you count Hakeem Olajuwon in 1984 for Georgetown.
April 8, 2009 at 1:19 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
jayhawkinnc (anonymous) says...
Rip Hamilton won the NCAA Title with UCONN in 1999 and the NBA title with the Pistons in 2004. A college and a pro title but not back to back years.
Kentucky won the NCAA title in 1998, but nobody from that team was on the San Antonio Spurs roster that won the NBA title the next year in 1999.
April 8, 2009 at 2:14 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
100 (anonymous) says...
Nice job Darnell. Speaking of national champions...
I read a Whitlock article over the weekend -- word on the street in Detroit was that KU has a legitimate shot at not only Henry, but 3 big recruits all told.
After watching the John Wall highlight film and comparing it to Henry...
Oh man! If Wall comes to KU, oh man....
Wow....
Wow...
Wow...
We
Are
Going
To
Be
awesome!!!!
(Whitlock seemed to think there was a good shot KU gets Wall even with the scholarships that have to be figured out).
April 8, 2009 at 3:24 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
retiredickieV (anonymous) says...
my fav player all time KU - alonzo jamison. 91 squad was really special. only that out of ass dunk by grant hill (who was headed to KU before Larry jumped) kept us from momentum and the title. who remembers the mike maddux quote "i guess it was 40 minutes of heck" about Arkansas? was Mike Anderson an assistant to Nolan yet?
April 9, 2009 at 1:49 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
LAJayhawk (anonymous) says...
Sweet stat. And congrats to Darnell on the start. He's definitely been carving a place out for himself the last several weeks. Although, I have a feeling that it won't be either Mario or Darnell who comes away with it. I have the unfortunate feeling that the Lakers will make a run. I can't tell you how much I hope I'm wrong.....
On a side note, I heard an interesting stat the other day on Mike and Mike in the morning. They were discussing how Michael Jordan will be elected into the Hall of Fame this year, and that he is one of only 6 guys to win an NCAA championship, an NBA championship, a gold medal, and be elected into the Hall. That's pretty elite company. But what REALLY makes that stat interesting:
Can you guess the first guy to achieve all four (I believe he was first, if not, he's at least one of the 6)?
That's right, none other than KU's own Clyde Lovellette.
I also think it's important to point out that while Magic Johnson is also one of the 6, he won his gold medal on the dream team. Jordan did too, but he also won a gold in 1984 when it was still only non-professionals. Same, of course, with Clyde in 1952 (with the Phog as the coach if I'm not mistaken).
April 9, 2009 at 1:54 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
d_prowess (anonymous) says...
I love these facts! While I know Mario has a chance, I don't see the heat winning it all. But I am in Boston to watch Mario go against Paully on friday, so we will see how they look!
April 9, 2009 at 8:07 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
jayhawkinnc (anonymous) says...
Hey RetireDickieV
It was Thomas Hill that was set on coming to KU, not Grant Hill. Thomas Hill was committed to come and play for Roy, but changed his mind once he heard KU had gone on probation (same with Harold Miner). Grant Hill picked Duke all along. Actually, his mother wanted him to go to Georgetown while his dad wanted him to go to North Carolina. So, he decided to go neutral and attend Duke :) By the way, that dunk by Grant Hill vs. KU in '91....definitely SICK!
April 9, 2009 at 1:05 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
truehawk93 (anonymous) says...
I would be ecstatic if we grabbed X, Lance and Wall. Wall had his chance way early in the season. He could sign anytime w/ KU. He's got his eye elsewhere, like UK, Duke or even UNC!
Whitlock also said the Self/Gillespie connection had Orton in the KU mix by getting out of his LOi !! I think another fan said it best about these recruits. Oread is like a big aiport just waiting for the bigs to land!
This may be why we haven't heard anything just yet. Self and Co. maybe working out some details. I know Morningstar gives his scholly, Reed may get an academic, Releford may redshirt, and lastly Thomas may transfer to top it all out! CJ is covered under his Yankee clause b/c they will pay his tuition. I think the Henry's are waiting on the appeal for CJ to play and since no money was involved, my understanding is he gets to play at KU. CJ comes...X follows to complete the family tradition!!
Who knows? Anything's possible! Either way KU is title bound.
April 9, 2009 at 4:19 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
truehawk93 (anonymous) says...
BTW...DJ will take names and see an NBA title. All Hawks do! They all have some great b-ball tradition in their game!!
Go Cavs
April 9, 2009 at 4:24 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
actorman (anonymous) says...
"Thomas may transfer to top it all out ..."
MAY transfer??? You must not have been paying much attention. It was already announced that he IS transferring: http://www2.kusports.com/photos/2009/...
As for Releford redshirting, that would have no impact whatsoever on the scholarship situation. Whether or not a player redshirts, if he's on scholarship it still counts.
April 11, 2009 at 3:56 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )