The country’s No. 2-ranked men’s basketball recruiting class hasn’t disappointed at Kansas University’s pre-Canada tour practices.
“I think they are all a little bit ahead of where I thought they’d be,” Kansas University coach Bill Self said, assessing the progress of Alex Galindo, C.J. Giles, Darnell Jackson, Sasha Kaun and Russell Robinson through four workouts.
“When you think of great players … I think of guys who come in and average 12, 14 (points) as a freshman. I don’t think we’ve got guys like that. I think we have the best scenario. We have guys who make us better, but are not coming in spoiled.”
Self said during a remote broadcast with 610-AM Tuesday at Allen Fieldhouse that the newcomers’ enthusiasm, mixed with the seniors’ intensity, had made for tremendous practices.
“One thing about these practices, our guys are getting after it,” Self said. “I’d bet if you asked our players of our eight best practices last year as a whole, these four (August workouts) would have fit in those eight — not from a performance standpoint, but an attitude and a toughness and competitive standpoint.
“Our practice (Sunday) was as good or better than 95 percent of all practices last year. Our freshmen contributed to it and our seniors. The seniors being vocal and their leadership … they’ve stepped up their game. It seems to be a really hungry bunch, now.”
KU’s freshmen, who were ranked No. 2 nationally behind Kentucky by rivals.com, “are very good, not great. Great don’t go to school anymore,” Self said.
“Where it ranks, who knows? Writers and recruiting analysts overhype everyone. I’m not saying that in a bad way, (but) there are 10 schools who had the No. 2 recruiting class in America.”
Three of KU’s newcomers — No. 34-rated Kaun, No. 54 Jackson and No. 62 Giles — are big men. They’ve all impressed.
“I am excited,” Self said. “Those three will work their tails off each and every day to get the best chance to play next to Wayne (Simien). If one time you don’t go to the glass or don’t try to put both hands above the rim on a tip-in, you will be behind Moulaye (Niang), Sasha, Darnell, Christian (Moody) or whomever, and you’ve got to wait your time to get back in there.”
Kaun is 6-foot-11, 235 pounds, Jackson is 6-8, 240 and Giles is a more svelte 6-10, 220.
“Sasha’s size is certainly going to give some people problems,” Self said. “Darnell … the best thing is he knows who he is. He’s a rebounder, banger, screener — a defender who can guard the other team’s best player.
“C.J. has done some things I didn’t know he could do. We still need to get some weight on him, but I think he can hold his own. I think he’ll fight.”
KU’s two perimeter newcomers — the No. 27-ranked Robinson and No. 65 Galindo -also have not disappointed.
“Russell told me, ‘My goal is to be a sophomore by November,”‘ Self said of the 6-1 point guard/shooting guard. “It’s a pretty good goal for a guard thinking he has a chance to be a good guard at Kansas.
“He understands and has a feel for what’s going on.”
The 6-7 Galindo, who entered with a reputation as a deadly shooter, is “shooting well,” Self said. “Alex can shoot the basketball.”
Perkins reiterated he had no plans to replace Allen Fieldhouse in response to Missouri’s opening of a new hoops facility.
“I’ve been in every major-college facility, and after the first game in Allen Fieldhouse I said, ‘I wouldn’t trade it for the world,”‘ Perkins said. “It’s history, like Madison Square Garden, the Palestra … One thing I will never do is replace Allen Fieldhouse.”
Perkins said he was going to try to pull a sports double.
He will attend KU’s football opener versus Tulsa on Sept. 4, then fly to Canada to catch two or three of KU’s hoop exhibition games.
“This year moreso than if we had a true perimeter 4-man, I’d say 35 percent of the time you could almost guarantee we’ll have two big guys in the game,” Self said.
Self added that the Jayhawks likely would play more pressure defense this season because of an abundance of bodies.
