Kansas University’s men’s basketball team has dominated the Big 12 Conference not only during the regular season the past seven years, but also on NBA draft days.
The Jayhawks, who have won two straight league crowns and four of seven in conference history (Iowa State has won two titles, Texas one), have had nine first- or second-round draft picks since 1996-97.
Texas has had four players drafted, followed by Iowa State and Oklahoma with three each. Missouri, Nebraska, Colorado and Texas Tech have had two draftees each, while Baylor and Oklahoma State have had one each.
Kansas State and Texas A&M have not had a player drafted since the inception of the league.
The NBA stat is one new Kansas coach Bill Self surely will use on the recruiting trail with more and more high schoolers interested in a quick jump to the pros.
What’s been the secret to KU’s success?
“You look at teams that traditionally do the best year in and out — those teams are the ones that have the best players,” Self said. “I believe Kansas over the last 15-plus years has had arguably, with the exception of one or two programs, the best players America has had to offer. I think and hope it’ll continue.
“Certainly for us to continue our winning ways or the rate they’ve won in the past, we’ve got to recruit pros. No ifs, ands or buts about it. They coached ’em great,” Self added of former coach Roy Williams and his assistants, “but they’ve recruited great players — great pros.”
As far as the lucrative lottery picks, KU leads the league with five (Kirk Hinrich, Nick Collison, Drew Gooden, Raef LaFrentz and Paul Pierce). Texas is second with two (T.J. Ford and Chris Mihm).
As far as the highest individual pick in Big 12 history, it’s a tie between LaFrentz and Colorado’s Chauncey Billups, who each were tabbed third in the first round of their respective drafts.
Here’s the complete history of the Big 12 Conference schools in the NBA Draft:
2003: First round: 7. Kirk Hinrich, Kansas (Chicago). 8. T.J. Ford, Texas (Milwaukee from Atlanta). 12. Nick Collison, Kansas (Seattle).
2002: First Round: 4. Drew Gooden, Kansas (Memphis). 20. Kareem Rush, Missouri (Toronto from Seattle via New York). Second Round: 48. Chris Owens, Texas (Milwaukee from New Orleans).
2001: First Round: 27. Jamaal Tinsley, Iowa State (Vancouver from L.A. Lakers via N.Y.). Second Round: 43. Eric Chenowith, Kansas (New York from Seattle).
2000: First Round: 4. Marcus Fizer, Iowa State (Chicago). 7. Chris Mihm, Texas (Chicago traded to Cleveland). 10. Keyon Dooling, Missouri (Orlando from Denver, traded to L.A. Clippers). 17. Desmond Mason, Oklahoma State (Seattle). Second Round: 38. Eduardo Najera, Oklahoma (Houston traded to Dallas). 56. Jaquay Walls, Colorado (Indiana).
1999: Second Round: 45. Ryan Robertson, Kansas (Sacramento). 50. Venson Hamilton, Nebraska (Houston). 55. Kris Clack, Texas (Boston from Orlando via Denver),
1998: First Round: 3. Raef LaFrentz, Kansas (Denver). 10. Paul Pierce, Kansas (Boston). 22. Brian Skinner, Baylor (L.A. Clippers). 23. Tyronn Lue, Nebraska (Denver). Second Round: 49. Cory Carr, Texas Tech (Atlanta traded to Chicago). 51. Corey Brewer, Oklahoma (Miami).
1997: First Round: 3. Chauncey Billups, Colorado (Boston). 5. Tony Battie, Texas Tech (Denver). 15. Kelvin Cato, Iowa State (Portland). 19. Scot Pollard, Kansas (Detroit). 27. Jacque Vaughn, Kansas (Utah). Second Round: 57. Nate Erdmann, Oklahoma (Utah).
