SAN ANTONIO ? Drew Gooden wants to be known as a big-time college basketball player.
For that to happen, he realizes, he needs to dominate games like tonight’s Kansas-Illinois Midwest Regional semifinal contest, which tips off at 9:20 tonight at the Alamodome.
“I like to play in the big games. It’s a whole different atmosphere,” said Gooden, KU’s 6-foot-10, 230-pound sophomore forward who had 17 points with 15 boards in KU’s second-round win over Syracuse last Sunday in Dayton, Ohio.
“Coach Williams told us the other day about James Worthy (ex-University of North Carolina and NBA great), how he’d play Slippery Rock and another Div. II team and have 10 points and 10 rebounds combined.
“He’d play Georgetown the next day and have 20 points and 17 rebounds. That’s why they called him, ‘Big Game James.’
“The big games you’ve got to come to play,” Gooden added.
A huge media contingent surrounded Gooden’s locker during Thursday’s press conference following an hour-long shootaround at the Dome.
He was asked if he’s going to leave college for the NBA after his sophomore season.
“I’m not putting anything past me. Everything is still open,” said Gooden, who averages 15.9 points off 51.8 percent shooting with 8.3 boards. “I have made no decision yet. I like college. But other than that, I’m just trying to get through this tournament now. After the tournament is when I’ll make my decision regarding my future.”
He was asked by Chicago media about his recent statement that his goal is to be better than Michael Jordan.
“One of my goals ever since I was a little kid was to play in the NBA. Another one is to be the greatest basketball player of all time,” Gooden said. “The way this came up before is somebody asked me about Michael Jordan and (ex-North Carolina coach) Dean Smith, that Dean Smith was the only person who could hold Michael Jordan under 20 points. They tried to resemble that to me and coach Williams.
“I was in no way saying I am better than Michael Jordan. Anybody who says they are better than Jordan that is still in college is out of their minds.”
Smith’s system at North Carolina, like Williams’ at KU, stresses team play, so stats sometimes are not inflated.
“It’s the same kind of system, but it can be done,” Gooden said of putting up big-time numbers at KU. “If you are playing on Kansas’ team and you average 20 points, I think you are ready for the NBA.”
Only Paul Pierce has averaged 20 points in a recent season at KU. Raef LaFrentz averaged 19.8 his senior year.
Gooden realizes he, Nick Collison and Eric Chenowith are keys against big, strong Illinois tonight. IU had its way against KU inside in last year’s 84-70 victory.
“Coach said he watched tape of last year’s game the other day,” Gooden said. “He saw me and Nick out there. He said we were like sticks running up and down the court trying to bang with (Marcus) Griffin. It’s a man’s game and we weren’t ready. This year we have to be ready.”
Bryant Nash, KU’s freshman forward who suffered a torn medial collateral ligament in his right knee 10 days
ago, dressed and practiced some on Thursday.
He won’t play this weekend, but could be cleared to play in the Final Four if KU advances that far.
“The doctor did tests on my leg the day we got back from Dayton,” Nash said. “He was, like, ‘It’s time for you to come off crutches and take off your brace.’
“That was really weird. At first they said I’d be out two to three weeks. But I’d recovered. My leg had tightened up. That same day I was walking around. The next day I was shooting with the team. The trainer tapes my knee and I’m able to do a little running, shooting, even a little cutting.
“Coach told me I’m out at least two more games. It’s really exciting to be able to get back on the court.”
The Alamodome, which seats 39,727 fans for basketball, is a huge building.
“It was all right,” said soph forward Nick Collison. “When we first walked out there I thought it’d be hard to play here. The court seemed so far away. But after a while I got used to it. It’s basketball. You look at the rims and shoot.”
“The rims are a little tight. They remind me a little of the United Center,” KU’s Jeff Boschee said. “At first I thought the rims were really tight. I kept shooting and they felt
fine. The background is different, but I’ve played in Domes before.”
Collison on the matchup: “They have more depth and have a lot of big guys. They’ll be pushing, leaning. We’ve got to be ready to battle the whole time. There’s a little extra motivation since they beat us last year. They kicked us in the second half. Drew and I are a lot stronger than we were a year ago.”
KU held a long practice Thursday at Trinity University. The shootaround at the Alamodome was mainly for the 800 or so fans who showed.
KU’s players held an impromptu dunk contest with Kenny Gregory, Drew Gooden and Kirk Hinrich ripping some impressive jams.
“Coach was joking around and having a good time here. We all are,” Collison said. “But that wasn’t really a practice. He wasn’t all smiles when we were at Trinity this morning.”
Former KU assistant Kevin Stallings, now head coach at Vanderbilt, brought his family to San Antonio to support Williams and the Jayhawks. “What would make me happy is four more wins for Roy’s team,” Stallings said. “That would make me very happy.”
