Kansas senior guard Marcus Garrett said he’s embracing his leadership role headed into what will be an abnormal college basketball season.

“Definitely a big challenge with everything just being different,” Garrett said, “but when we get on the court it’s still basketball, so I just go out there and try to lead the best way I know how.”

Before the Jayhawks began their first preseason practice of the new season, junior forward David McCormack recalled what it was like to have the 2020 postseason canceled before it even began for KU this past March.

“At first it was just a hard pill to swallow, just because everything happened so fast,” McCormack said, thinking back on KU’s chances to make a deep run in the NCAA Tournament.

“We use this as motivation now, going into this season,” McCormack said.

Coming off of his redshirt season, senior forward Mitch Lightfoot said his time off from playing helped his development.

Throughout the 2019-20 season, Lightfoot said he learned a lot from KU’s coaching staff, as well as former players. Lightfoot thinks he became a better scorer and shooter in the process.

Ahead of the Kansas basketball team’s first preseason practice on Thursday, head coach Bill Self said the Jayhawks have some unfinished business to attend to, following the abrupt end to the 2019-20 postseason.

Self addressed the challenges that come with playing a college basketball season during the COVID-19 pandemic and shared his thoughts on the team’s potential, among other topics.

It's go time for some of the best 3-point shooters in Kansas basketball history and we've got the Rock Chalk Roundball Classic's "Shooting for the Stars" event streaming live right here on KUsports.com.

From Boschee to Graham, Hinrich to Collins, Terry Brown to Tyrel Reed, Billy Thomas to Brandon Rush and, of course, Mario Chalmers and Svi Mykhailiuk, 10 of the top 12 3-point shooters on Kansas basketball's all-time 3-point list came together this month to compete for the title — temporary or otherwise — of KU's 3-point king.

The event takes the place of the Rock Chalk Roundball Classic's annual charity basketball game and weekend, but Brian Hanni's crew will still be seeking to raise money for three families of children affected by pediatric cancer.

There will be opportunities and prompts to get involved or donate throughout the broadcast. But you can also check out the Rock Chalk Roundball Classic website to learn more about who these families are and how you can help.

This version of the "Shooting for the Stars" extravaganza, which was produced by Midco Sports Network, will be archived on our site for years to come and available for you to watch as many times as you'd like. It features commercial-free action thanks to the following Rock Chalk Roundball Classic sponsors.

Presenting Sponsor

Crown Toyota Volkswagen

Additional Sponsors

CapFed

23rd Street Brewery

Johnny’s Tavern

Printing Solutions

Stanley James Smokehouse

CreativeOne

The Ron Covert Agency

DMLawUSA.com

RMC Group

McDonald’s of Lawrence

Shortly after news came out Wednesday afternoon that the 2020 NCAA Tournament would be played in mostly empty venues without fans, because of concerns about the spread of coronavirus, Kansas basketball coach Bill Self shared his thoughts on the development at Sprint Center, site of the Big 12 tournament.

Self broke the news to his players during an open practice in Kansas City, Mo., on the eve of the No. 1 Jayhawks’ postseason opener.

“The thing I told them was it sucks,” Self began. “But it doesn’t just stink for us. It stinks for everybody that wants to go be entertained at a concert or anywhere. It stinks for the market. Certainly sporting events, schools moving forward and whether or not you’re even going to be able to have school on campus and not do everything online. Far bigger than men’s basketball.

“Certainly sad. And sad for the fans,” Self added.

Kansas basketball coach Bill Self said his No. 1 Jayhawks learned to grind this season, as they finished off an outright Big 12 title with a win at Texas Tech.

“They guarded us well, we guarded them well and we just found a way to make a couple great individual plays late,” Self said. “Guys deserve all the credit. That was fun for me.”

Kansas stars Udoka Azubuike and Devon Dotson took a lot of pride in helping their team go undefeated on the road in Big 12 play en route to an outright conference championship, they shared following the Jayhawks’ 66-62 win at Texas Tech on the final day of the regular season.

“We wanted to win it outright,” Dotson said. “We didn’t want to share the title with anybody.”