IRVING, TEXAS ? Drew Gooden may need to visit his favorite men’s clothing store this weekend.
Still growing, the 6-foot-10, 230-pound Kansas junior basketball forward seems to be busting the buttons on his collection of button-down shirts.
“I had to get on the plane with him this morning and had to listen how his shirt is so much tighter this year because his shoulders and biceps are so much bigger,” Kansas coach Roy Williams joked.
He was seated next to muscle man Gooden and KU senior guard Jeff Boschee at the podium on Thursday at Big 12 media day.
“That’s Drew … we talked yesterday about putting Drew on medication so he’d not say too many wild things today … we decided to let him go free. No telling what you might hear either one of these guys say,” Williams added.
Not to worry … the ever-colorful Gooden, who Williams simply “loves,” tossed bouquets to his teammates particularly the freshmen during KU’s allotted time at the annual league media session.
“It’s almost amazing how quick those freshmen are picking up our defensive calls and offensive plays,” Gooden said of KU rookies Aaron Miles, Keith Langford, Michael Lee and Wayne Simien, who have impressed through KU’s first 11 practices. “I remember when I was a freshman it was like a whole different world to me. They are way ahead of where I was as a freshman.”
Perhaps the most steady player has been Simien, a solid 6-9, 250-pounder out of Leavenworth High.
“I mean the guy is like a brick wall trying to get around him in the post,” Gooden said.
“Of all the freshman he’s maybe been the most consistent,” Williams said of Simien. “He is a powerful youngster. The 76ers were in town last week and I told Larry (Brown) to be careful when he shakes hands with Wayne cause he’ll hurt ya.
“Sure enough, Larry meets our players and yells over to me, ‘Roy, he got me.”‘
Simien is known for his powerful hand-shaking frosh guard Langford for shakes and bakes through the lane on drives to the hoop.
“A lot of times you get recruits who are not quite as good as you think they are. I’ll be doggone I think Keith is a little better than I thought he was,” Williams said of the 6-4, 200-pound Texan.
“He is one of those kids in the mix who has to play for us. He gives us a little ability we haven’t had to the extent he has the ability to take the ball to the basket and make plays. Kenny (Gregory) could take it to the basket and make plays himself.
“Keith can take it to the basket and still see other people and get the ball to them,” Williams added. “He has the ability to dribble to the 12-foot range and shoot the mid-range jump shot. He’s good on the offensive board. The biggest key to me when we have a three-guard lineup is getting those guys to board. Keith does it more naturally than the other guys playing that (three, small forward) spot.”
Aaron Miles, a 6-1 point guard from Portland, Ore., has also had his moments early in camp.
“The best thing is he is a competitive little rascal,” Williams said. “We scrimmaged the other day. It got down to the last possession, he’s down two, he takes it down the length of the court, lays it up and one of our coaches (officiating) calls a charge on him. He was really ticked off, not at the call, but that he lost the scrimmage. I like that … those guys that get ticked off when they lose the marbles.”
Of 6-3 shooting guard Michael Lee, a prep teammate of Miles in Portland, Williams noted: “Michael is a competitive kid. Both those kids from Jefferson High … the best thing is how competitive they are. Michael will be good defensively and has the ability to shoot the basketball. He’ll play a lot of basketball before he leaves.”
Williams remains thrilled with the play of junior guard Kirk Hinrich, who Williams says will play three positions this season.
“I think Kirk is our best-conditioned athlete. He’s more confident than he’s ever been yet probably more unsettled because Kirk at times will play the one, two and at times the three for us. There will not be the comfort level as the past in knowing he’s (solely) the point guard.”
Williams still expects his four returning starters Gooden, Hinrich, Boschee and Nick Collison to start on opening night. No fifth starter has been determined.
“A great thing for a coach is they feel very comfortable and confident with their spots but they are not playing like it,” Williams said of the returnees. “They are not resting on their laurels. These guys are pretty confident they will run out there and be in the opening-night lineup and I am pretty confident they will because of the way they act. They have drawn a line in the sand and said, ‘You will not make us move, but we want you to come with us.”‘
The ball will go through bookend forwards Gooden and Collison a lot. Collison has shown some uncanny passing ability as well as scoring during the 11 workouts.
KU’s collection of newcomers and rookies prompted the league coaches to pick KU first in its annual preseason poll.
“Somebody said, ‘How do you feel being picked first?’ I always say, ‘Better than last,”‘ Williams said. “This year, picking one team is harder than the past. I think the league will be the best it’s ever been top to bottom. I think we have a chance to be pretty doggone good.”
Snow country: Kansas will play a game travel to wintry Grand Forks, N.D., on Dec. 22 to play the University of North Dakota.
“Last night they had 11 inches of snow. I’m dumb enough to be taking our team there so the folks can see Jeff Boschee play,” Willliams said jokingly of Valley City native Boschee.
“I saw on the Weather Channel they had a lot of snow,” said Boschee. “The guys on the team are kidding me about getting stuck and spending their Christmases with me out there.”
