Scott McClurg/Journal-World PhotoBill Self reported to work at 9 a.m. Friday — three hours after students began camping in Allen Fieldhouse for the season-opening “Late Night in the Phog.”
“I got here late today, and somebody told me the students had been here since 6 a.m. I went down and talked to them. I said, ‘I don’t get it. Why are you camping out? We’re running everybody out of the building at 5:30 (p.m.),'” said first-year Kansas University basketball coach Self, aware doors would not open for Late Night until 7 p.m.
“They (the students) said, ‘When they boot us out, they will boot us out to the front of the line,'” Self said, lauding the students’ enthusiasm.
About six hours later, Self, who coached at the University of Illinois the past three years, learned even more about the popularity of KU basketball when 100 members of the press attended his first Media Day at KU.
“I’m a little overwhelmed and shocked, to be honest,” Self said of the throng of reporters. “I’ve never seen this many before at Media Day.”
Yes, interest perhaps is at an all-time high for KU basketball, with the Jayhawks coming off two straight Final Fours.
“Kansas math is unbelievable,” deadpanned the 40-year-old Self, who took over for Roy Williams last April. “Even though you lose two lottery picks, everybody thinks you are supposed to get better.”
Expectations remain high despite the fact Kirk Hinrich and Nick Collison are missing from last year’s 33-4 team, which fell to Syracuse in the national-championship game.
“I feel we’ve got good enough players to play at a very high level and compete with everyone nationally if things fall right for us,” Self said. “It’s going to be an exciting year.”
Emphasize the word exciting.
Some have wondered whether Self, who is known as a hard-nosed, defensive-minded coach, would implement a slow-down style of play, despite the fact his Illinois team led the Big Ten in scoring the past three years.
Self said the Jayhawks, led by probable starters Aaron Miles, Keith Langford and Wayne Simien, would continue to push the ball.
“One reason we were known as strong inside our first year at Illinois is we had big, strong guys. They played a style that gave us the best chance to win,” Self said.
“At Tulsa we played as fast as anybody in America. Last year at Illinois we were as quick as anybody in America. We led the Big Ten in scoring all three years, even though there are a lack of possessions in the Big Ten because some of the people you are playing do not play as fast.”
That will not be the case in the Big 12 Conference.
“I think you will see a style here that will not be as fast as last year. I’m not sure coach (Roy) Williams could play as fast this year, losing Hinrich and Collison, who were the two fastest-playing guys in America at their respective positions,” Self said.
“I think we can be a team that scores in the 80s. Last year Kansas averaged almost 83 a game. I don’t see any reason we can’t consistently, over time, be in that range.”
Self said the most important player in his fast-moving lineup might be junior point guard Miles.
“Everybody talks about Wayne. Wayne is good. Aaron is probably the one guy we can ill afford to lose as much as anybody,” Self said. “We are certainly limited with a depth situation now. I can honestly say I would have no idea who that (backup point guard) would be.”
And if Miles went down because of an injury?
“I’d say we’d play without a point guard,” Self said. “I’m not saying Jeff (Hawkins) or Jeremy (Case) can’t do that. I’m saying the way we play, positions are interchangeable. We may go through a phase we play without a point guard when Aaron is out (on bench).”
Self — who said he’d like to have a nine-man rotation with four big guys and five perimeter players — said he had been impressed with senior Jeff Graves, who reported at 250 pounds and is “way ahead of where he was last year, coming back in great shape.”
But frosh David Padgett could battle Graves for a starting spot in KU’s high-low offense, which uses two big men and three perimeter players at all times, one big man usually out high, the other down low.
Self likes his freshman class of Padgett, Case, J.R. Giddens and Omar Wilkes, plus walk-on Nick Bahe.
“I think they will have to help us for us to be good,” Self said. “I do not think we are going in thinking they have to average 15 points a game or 15 rebounds for us to be good. Padgett and Giddens need to have big years for us. There are definitely minutes to be fought for by Wilkes and Case.
“I would anticipate three to four having a great chance to be in an eight- or nine-man rotation if things fall right.”
As far as junior big man Simien, who is coming off shoulder surgery, Self said it was full speed ahead.
“I don’t see treating Wayne differently than we would if he’d never had an injury,” Self said. “The more you talk about injuries, the more you protect yourself is when injuries occur, in my opinion. The shoulder is terrific.
“Wayne has done a great job emotionally and mentally getting his mind right, knowing his body can go full speed. He’s not quite there yet, but close. When things are bothering him or anybody else, we will cut back and give him time off. Right now he feels very strong.”
Bill Self reported to work at 9 a.m. Friday — three hours after students began camping in Allen Fieldhouse for the season-opening “Late Night in the Phog.”
“I got here late today, and somebody told me the students had been here since 6 a.m. I went down and talked to them. I said, ‘I don’t get it. Why are you camping out? We’re running everybody out of the building at 5:30 (p.m.),'” said first-year Kansas University basketball coach Self, aware doors would not open for Late Night until 7 p.m.
“They (the students) said, ‘When they boot us out, they will boot us out to the front of the line,'” Self said, lauding the students’ enthusiasm.
About six hours later, Self, who coached at the University of Illinois the past three years, learned even more about the popularity of KU basketball when 100 members of the press attended his first Media Day at KU.
“I’m a little overwhelmed and shocked, to be honest,” Self said of the throng of reporters. “I’ve never seen this many before at Media Day.”
Yes, interest perhaps is at an all-time high for KU basketball, with the Jayhawks coming off two straight Final Fours.
“Kansas math is unbelievable,” deadpanned the 40-year-old Self, who took over for Roy Williams last April. “Even though you lose two lottery picks, everybody thinks you are supposed to get better.”
Expectations remain high despite the fact Kirk Hinrich and Nick Collison are missing from last year’s 33-4 team, which fell to Syracuse in the national-championship game.
“I feel we’ve got good enough players to play at a very high level and compete with everyone nationally if things fall right for us,” Self said. “It’s going to be an exciting year.”
Emphasize the word exciting.
Some have wondered whether Self, who is known as a hard-nosed, defensive-minded coach, would implement a slow-down style of play, despite the fact his Illinois team led the Big Ten in scoring the past three years.
Self said the Jayhawks, led by probable starters Aaron Miles, Keith Langford and Wayne Simien, would continue to push the ball.
“One reason we were known as strong inside our first year at Illinois is we had big, strong guys. They played a style that gave us the best chance to win,” Self said.
“At Tulsa we played as fast as anybody in America. Last year at Illinois we were as quick as anybody in America. We led the Big Ten in scoring all three years, even though there are a lack of possessions in the Big Ten because some of the people you are playing do not play as fast.”
That will not be the case in the Big 12 Conference.
“I think you will see a style here that will not be as fast as last year. I’m not sure coach (Roy) Williams could play as fast this year, losing Hinrich and Collison, who were the two fastest-playing guys in America at their respective positions,” Self said.
“I think we can be a team that scores in the 80s. Last year Kansas averaged almost 83 a game. I don’t see any reason we can’t consistently, over time, be in that range.”
Self said the most important player in his fast-moving lineup might be junior point guard Miles.
“Everybody talks about Wayne. Wayne is good. Aaron is probably the one guy we can ill afford to lose as much as anybody,” Self said. “We are certainly limited with a depth situation now. I can honestly say I would have no idea who that (backup point guard) would be.”
And if Miles went down because of an injury?
“I’d say we’d play without a point guard,” Self said. “I’m not saying Jeff (Hawkins) or Jeremy (Case) can’t do that. I’m saying the way we play, positions are interchangeable. We may go through a phase we play without a point guard when Aaron is out (on bench).”
Self — who said he’d like to have a nine-man rotation with four big guys and five perimeter players — said he had been impressed with senior Jeff Graves, who reported at 250 pounds and is “way ahead of where he was last year, coming back in great shape.”
But frosh David Padgett could battle Graves for a starting spot in KU’s high-low offense, which uses two big men and three perimeter players at all times, one big man usually out high, the other down low.
Self likes his freshman class of Padgett, Case, J.R. Giddens and Omar Wilkes, plus walk-on Nick Bahe.
“I think they will have to help us for us to be good,” Self said. “I do not think we are going in thinking they have to average 15 points a game or 15 rebounds for us to be good. Padgett and Giddens need to have big years for us. There are definitely minutes to be fought for by Wilkes and Case.
“I would anticipate three to four having a great chance to be in an eight- or nine-man rotation if things fall right.”
As far as junior big man Simien, who is coming off shoulder surgery, Self said it was full speed ahead.
“I don’t see treating Wayne differently than we would if he’d never had an injury,” Self said. “The more you talk about injuries, the more you protect yourself is when injuries occur, in my opinion. The shoulder is terrific.
“Wayne has done a great job emotionally and mentally getting his mind right, knowing his body can go full speed. He’s not quite there yet, but close. When things are bothering him or anybody else, we will cut back and give him time off. Right now he feels very strong.”
