Chris Zerbe is still living the dream and loving every minute of it.
“The dream is still there,” the Kansas University senior basketball walk-on said, smiling. “I know I’m still going to get the chills when I run through the tunnel for every home game.”
Zerbe, a forward from Andover, doesn’t see his role as a back-up changing, but that still suits him fine. After all, he is a Jayhawk.
“It’s awesome,” Zerbe said. “You don’t enjoy going to practice everyday … but just to be able to help these guys practice and be a better team and help this team try to win a national championship, it’s awesome.”
The 6-foot-5 Zerbe isn’t a statistical monster, although he has scored almost a point for every minute he has played. Officially, his has 31 points in 33 minutes.
And the junior college transfer who averaged 13 ppg game his sophomore year at Hutchinson CC probably won’t see too many nights this season like his recent 11-point outburst at Late Night.
But it doesn’t matter. Zerbe still seems to be on Cloud Nine.
“I still consider myself just a primary practice player,” Zerbe said. “Maybe get in at the end of the games like last year. Or if our big guys happen to be in foul trouble, then I’ll step in and do my job.
“I got a year under my belt. I kind of know what to expect. Hopefully, that will help me be a better practice player this year.”
Zerbe says he and that rest of the walk-ons truly relish their roles.
“If we don’t see a minute this year, I don’t think it will bother us,” he said. “Especially if we win a national championship. I think we’ll see some minutes in some of those blowouts at the end of the game. We’re definitely comfortable with that.”
Fellow walk-on and high school and junior college rival Todd Kappelmann agreed and kind of admitted he was finally glad to be playing alongside his friend instead of against him.
“I don’t like him all that much,” Kappelmann quipped. “But he’s a big body and can push people around. He has a really positive attitude and is happy to be here. He’ll push everybody.”
