One of the most enjoyable aspects of this Kansas University basketball season is that there’s no hourly blather over which Jayhawks will go professional and which ones will stay. With four seniors and sophomore J.R. Giddens, who clearly needs at least another year of seasoning, there’s no bait for a feeding frenzy among rumor-mongers.
The long speculation that Paul Pierce would leave after his junior season was valid, and down the stretch there was no doubt Drew Gooden would make the early jump to the NBA. Both did so with notable financial benefits, and we have to be happy for them.
Yet, I still admire Nick Collison and Kirk Hinrich for giving KU the full four years of their leadership and talents. They, too, have pretty good bank accounts by now, and they did well by the school that opened the door to the vault.
It’s generally agreed that KU senior Wayne Simien will be a high first-round draft pick. He could wind up with a minimum $9 million on a mandated three-year rookie contract; might even do better. If Simien can avoid injuries, he’ll definitely enter a seller’s market. I’ll always admire him immensely for staying the course.
Wayne might need a period of NBA adjustment, but he has innumerable ingredients for success. Certainly he can rebound, he can play defense and he can shoot doggone well, as well as dunk big-league style. Very important is that he also is a terrific free thrower who can make pro opponents pay for muggings. Few Jayhawks ever have had a better pro future; few have deserved it more than Simien.
Jayhawk wingman Keith Langford does not loom as a first-round pro choice, but with steady improvement of his physical status he can hook on with some club for a good career. His defense remains somewhat suspect, and his mid-range shooting needs work, but Langford can’t be overlooked by scouts seeking good role-players — like Iowa State’s Fred Hoiberg who has carved a niche with Minnesota.
Senior Aaron Miles may be overlooked by some scouts, but he can offer the right pro team the same kinds of orchestration skills that T.J. Ford of Texas did. Further, if Aaron continues to perambulate and create shots for himself inside the three-point arc, he’ll be even more widely sought. As a penetrater who could draw a lot of fouls when he’s not dishing, he also has promise as a free-thrower. Like Langford, Aaron may not be a first-rounder, but he’s worth consideration. Think how durable he’s been. Seldom out of action, while T.J. Ford’s been hurt a lot.
Mike Lee, the fourth senior, will need luck to hook on in the NBA. I wouldn’t be surprised to see him use his final semester of eligibility to join Mark Mangino’s football squad. Defensive back or receiver? He was good at both in high school.
Before this season began, there was frequent foregone media conclusions that Kansas would have J.R. Giddens this year only because he’d be grabbed by the pros. He has a lot going for him, but no sense talking like that anymore. He needs at least a three-year training period at Kansas.
The athletic Giddens’s defense remains a weakness and he doesn’t move without the ball to create more mid-range shots. If he’s going to be a slasher as a pro, he better concentrate on becoming a much better free-thrower. J.R.’s three-point potential is good so far but not overwhelming, and the NBA trey-line is farther out.
One of J.R.’s best qualities is his enthusiasm. He seems to be having a good time and can stimulate those around him. I wonder, however, if somebody talked to him about his showboating after sinking shots, especially treys. I think he was reminded that the emphasis should be on the team, team, team rather than me, me, me.
For a while, Giddens had a tendency to flash his jersey seemingly to call attention to himself. Chances are he’d tell you that he was proudly extending the “Kansas” on the front. Yet there were times when the demonstration was tacky, as if he was trying to grab the attention of pro scouts. He’s toned that down, or at least restructured it to show awareness that others out there help him succeed.
But it’s so great to read and hear about these 2004-05 Jayhawks without all the blah-blah-blah about who might turn pro and who might stay. A little stability never hurts any athletic title quest.
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On a seasonal note, how come you have to listen so long to those holiday music marathons on radio to get that first offering of Glenn Miller’s “Jingle Bells”? I have my own tape, but with all the wanna-be’s trying to grab Christmas-time attention, why not more swingin’ classics like that?
I’m a fogey, but the season is never officially here for me until I hear Glenn’s “Bells” and Barbra Streisand’s first Christmas album that first came out, I think, about 1975. Lots of people have tried, but for my money nobody ever took the list of songs Barbie chose almost 30 years ago and did them better, even as well. For all her social and egotistical nonsense, that thrush can warble. As for a New Year tune, I always go back to Joe Williams’s “What Are You Doing New Year’s Eve?” Since 1945, I’ve been blessed with a loving answer.
I care not what course others may take, but I want to wish you a Merry Christmas! None of this politically correct, ACLU-spawned “Holiday Greetings” or “Season’s Greetings.” It’s Christmas, for pete’s sake so let’s call it that. There’s infinitesimal room for faiths and philosophies to celebrate as they choose. More power to ’em, hope they do. But I’m saying “hang a shining star upon the highest bough/and have yourself a merry little Christmas now.” I’m warmly and sincerely wishing it to all of you, no matter where you drop your gifts in the collection plate or alms bowl.
Given a choice, virtually all of us want peace and good will and a dedicated sharing of The Golden Rule. Quoting immortal pianist Erroll Garner, “Have a Cool Yule and a Frantic First!”
So we’re riding different trains. With dedication, luck and blessings maybe we all can arrive at the same station. And try to laugh a lot on the journey.
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