Jayhawk forward a quick learner

By Jesse Newell, University Daily Kansan     Aug 31, 2004

For most, wearing the Kansas basketball uniform carries a certain burden of expectations and pressure.

However, for freshman Alexander “Sasha” Kaun, the uniform will carry a little lighter weight than he is used to.

“Coming here is a little bit of a relief from military school,” Kaun said. The basketball uniform is no comparison to the uniform regimen that Kaun was used to in Florida, he said.

Kaun attended the Florida Air Academy military school in Melbourne, Fla., and is accustomed to a structured learning environment, wearing a uniform to class every day and waking up before dawn. The challenge of winning the final forward position in the Jayhawk starting lineup is just the latest in a string of challenges for Kaun.

Originally from Tomsk, Russia, Kaun chose to leave his family behind and attend high school in the United States three years ago. It was his cousin Max who first graduated from the Florida Air Academy in 2001 and suggested he do the same.

“When he graduated, he asked me if I wanted to come over here, because it’s a great school,” Kaun said. “I just followed his footsteps.”

Kaun arrived in the United States knowing no English and found out early on he had to become a quick learner.

“Coming over here was kind of scary and hard at the beginning,” Kaun said. “But as I went on it became a little easier.”

Kaun also became a quick learner in the sport of basketball. As a 6-foot-10 high school sophomore, Kaun had never played the game and never intended on playing it when he came to the United States. Academy coach Aubin Goporo changed all that, teaching Kaun the sport and helping him become a dominant inside player in just three years.

Now Kaun will continue his education in basketball at Kansas, competing against fellow freshmen Darnell Jackson, C.J. Giles, and returners Moulaye Niang and Christian Moody for the Jayhawks’ only open starting forward position.

“We are all very close to each other, and I think everybody is good at what they do,” Kaun said. “I think it will be a very interesting year. Everybody is going to compete against each other and it’s going to make it even better.”

Kaun, whose nickname “Sasha” is a shortened version of his Russian name, “Aleksendr,” also gained valuable experience during the summer when he played pickup games against former Jayhawks and current NBA players Greg Ostertag and Scot Pollard. The forward said he learned he needed to work hard both on the court and in the weight room.

“I need to get stronger,” Kaun said. “Those guys are really, really strong and are at a lot higher level than it was in high school.”

Teammates have still been impressed with the 6-foot-11 forward’s progression.

“Sasha is real strong and has great hands,” said senior guard Mike Lee. “He’s a big and wide force in the middle.”

After numerous changes in the past three years, Kaun said he is enjoying the transition to life in a Kansas jersey.

“It’s a lot easier here than it was back there where we had to wear uniforms,” Kaun said.

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