When in the course of high school recruiting events, we hold this truth to be self-evident: The longer a prospect takes to make up his mind, the more closely he resembles the Second Coming.
Malik Hairston, who spent more time deciding on a college than it took to build the Pyramid of Cheops, has been placed so high on a perception pedestal by his prolonged procrastination that he may never be able to produce proportionately.
In other words, the spotlight that shines on the 6-foot-6 McDonald’s All-American from Detroit as he wears those distinctive green and yellow Oregon University togs will more likely singe him than not.
However, if Hairston had opted for Kansas University, his other finalist, he may have put the Jayhawks over the top. He projected as the prolific point-producer off the bench KU has lacked since seniors-to-be Wayne Simien and Keith Langford were freshmen.
Still, how many freshmen lugging heavy portfolios dream of becoming a Sixth Man? At Oregon, he’ll be Donald Duck, not Huey, Dewey or Louie.
Kansas has only one opening in its starting lineup, and the vacancy sign is for a big man. That isn’t to say Hairston wouldn’t have beaten out incumbents Keith Langford and J.R. Giddens for a starting role. He might have, but a more likely scenario had him carrying the clubs for a year before teeing it up.
Second-year coach Bill Self needs bulk and size more than he needs another wing player. Self needs someone to team effectively with wheelhorse Simien in the double post now that Jeff Graves has completed his eligibility and David Padgett is looking for greener grazing land.
Individually, Graves and Padgett were average players. Combine their numbers, however, and the Jayhawks had nearly 13 points and more than 9 rebounds a game. Those are notable complementary post numbers.
By the way, did you realize how similar Graves and Padgett were statistically last season? Padgett averaged 6.5 points per game and Graves 6.4. Graves’ rebound average was 4.9 while Padgett clutched 4.5 caroms. The two even tied for the team lead in fouls committed with 103 apiece. On paper, the only noticeable difference between the pair was in blocked shots. Padgett led the Jayhawks with 43 while Graves had 20.
The media morning line has a pair of freshmen — Darnell Jackson and Alexander “Sasha” Kaun — penciled in as the Graves-Padgett replacement. We have seen the returning cast and we know Christian Moody, while technically sound defensively, lacks a full range of Division One skills, and that Moulaye Niang is one of those guys who looks good in a suit, but is instinctively challenged.
You remember Jackson and Kaun, don’t you? They opted for KU way back during the November signing period, or five months before Hairston finally put pen to paper.
In case you’ve forgotten — frankly, I can’t even remember what I received for Christmas — Kaun is a 6-foot-11, 250-pound native Russian who played high school ball in Florida. Jackson is a 6-foot-8, 240-pounder from suburban Oklahoma City.
I’ve never seen either one of them play, and I have no idea if the two can replicate or even surpass the 12.9 points and 9.3 rebounds compiled by Graves-Padgett, but it’s apparent each will be given every opportunity.
KU’s other November signee was Russell Robinson, a 6-foot-1, 180-pound guard from New York whose primary task, it would seem, will be to allow Self to give point guard Aaron Miles three or four more minutes of rest per game while giving the Jayhawks someone other than Giddens to shoot the three-point goal.
Adding Hairston to that crop may have been a slam dunk for a Top 10 preseason ranking, and perhaps even make the Jayhawks seem capable in the eyes of the media and the league coaches of unseating Oklahoma State as Big 12 Conference champion.
Nevertheless, with four starters back, Kansas will be a national player in 2004-2005.
6Sports video: Hairston goes to Oregon