Former Kansas University basketball player Wayne Simien recently received a gift in the mail from his agent — the famed Leigh Steinberg.
“I sent him a care package of books,” said Steinberg, the real-life inspiration for the movie “Jerry Maguire.”
“He needs something to read while he’s flying around the country. By the end of this, he’ll have greatly enhanced his frequent-flier miles. He’s been to all corners of the U.S.”
Simien, who Friday was in Chicago to take a physical at the NBA pre-draft camp, has been on a whirlwind tour of the U.S. and Canada, taking part in one-on-one workouts for NBA teams.
The 6-foot-9, 255-pound power forward from Leavenworth already has worked out for Portland, Golden State, Toronto, Denver, New York, Houston, Boston and the Los Angeles Clippers and Lakers.
The Raptors have asked Simien to return to Toronto for a second one-on-one session. He also soon will be headed to Memphis, Indiana, Orlando, New Jersey, Seattle, Phoenix, San Antonio and Detroit.
Whew.
“The feedback,” Steinberg said, “is that he’s shot well and guarded well and been extremely impressive in one-on-one interviewing as you might expect. Wayne makes a very, very strong impression on everybody. He is so bright and has so much character. He embodies what teams are looking for.”
Steinberg has no crystal ball, thus can’t predict where Simien will be tapped in the June 28 draft.
NBAdraft.net has Utah grabbing Simien with the 27th pick in the first round. That Web site previously had Simien being tapped 21st by Sacramento. Draftcity.com says Minnesota will take Simien at No. 14 overall.
Bio: Wayne Simien
“One of the difficulties is the sheer volume of underclassmen declaring for the draft. There are over 100,” said Steinberg, a Newport Beach, Calif.-based agent who is in his 31st year of representing players. “No one knows how many will stay in. One of the apprehensions has been the doomsday scenario, that the new collective-bargaining agreement would have an age limitation. I think some players are making mistakes being enticed into the draft because of that. Right now, it’s almost a draft and a half (worth of players).”
Simien received a boost recently from a simple measurement by the Denver Nuggets that showed he stood 6-foot-8 in his stocking feet, 6-9 in shoes. It had been rumored for more than a year that he was closer to 6-7 than 6-9.
“Everybody was aware Wayne might be the most complete player in the draft, but the knock was he was a tweener,” Steinberg said. “Now he’s measured 6-9 in sneakers.
“He’s been physically very, very impressive in drills,” added Steinberg, noting workouts with Danny Manning and a personal trainer helped the player immensely since season’s end. “His body has also been given a respite from being double- and triple-teamed, grueling triple-teaming at the end of the season.”
Now Simien’s body is facing the wear and tear of travel.
“It’s like any college student going on job interviews,” Simien said. “Only this is for my basketball career. I’m just glad I have an opportunity to pursue my dreams.”
¢ Miles, Langford: KU’s Keith Langford and Aaron Miles will go undrafted, according to the most recent projections of NBAdraft.net. Miles is listed as a second-round pick of the Phoenix Suns, 57th overall, by draftcity.com.
Langford, who scored seven points in the first game at the Chicago camp, had seven points off 2-of-7 shooting with three assists and six turnovers in the second game. Miles missed three shots without a make, but hit two free throws and had seven assists, four turnovers and three steals in the second game. Miles hit seven of 10 NBA threes in an individual drill at camp.
¢ KU-WSU not happening: The Wichita Eagle reported Friday that KU coach Bill Self rejected a one-time game against Wichita State, which sources said could have been played in Allen Fieldhouse on ESPN next season.
The paper said it would have been a one-time game with no return game involved.
“‘Turg’ (WSU coach and ex-Jayhawk Mark Turgeon) and I have talked numerous times. I’ve said all along it would not happen immediately,” Self told the Journal-World Friday. “Nothing has changed on that.”
Of the current situation, KU senior associate AD Larry Keating noted: “ESPN gave us a list of schools a couple of months ago looking for a last game (to complete KU’s home slate). They gave us a couple of names, nobody we were interested in. I’ve never talked to the coach or AD (at WSU) about playing in men’s basketball. It has not come up this year.”
Go ahead and mark your calendar.Next season, we’ll gather at Allen Fieldhouse and watch as Wayne Simien’s number 23 jersey is raised to the rafters.That night, as we’ll think about Simien’s legacy, we’ll just need to remember one day — February 27, 2005.His team was slumping and the Big 12 Conference crown was slipping away. That’s when Simien picked the Jayhawks up and placed them on his fragile 6-foot-9 frame.The line on the stat sheet jumps off the paper: 32 points and 12 rebounds in the biggest win of the season. At season’s end, All-America and possible National Player of the Year honors will rightly be bestowed upon Big Dub.When Kansas needed a hero, it was the hometown kid from Leavenworth who provided the lift. ![][1]”Let’s call it like it is,” Kansas coach Bill Self said after the thrilling 81-79 victory over Oklahoma State. “Wayne put us on his shoulders today. Everybody played great, but he was a man.”You had the feeling on Sunday morning that it would be a day to remember. There was a buzz around town and inside the fieldhouse. The Jayhawk players had not spoken to the media all week, choosing to let the game on Sunday do the talking.It was like a heavyweight fight, with both teams unable to land knockout blows. Kansas led by 8 points before the lead disappeared and Oklahoma State pulled ahead by 7.In the end, it was time for Simien and the seniors to pull out the win.After the Cowboys took a 76-69 lead with five minutes remaining, the seniors did all the scoring down the stretch.Simien hit four three throws, and Aaron Miles capped the comeback with a layup with 38 seconds remaining.The senior class has been called a lot of things in the last few weeks. There was plenty of talk that the four players just weren’t good enough, that they weren’t leaders, and that the only reason they played in two Final Fours was the brilliance of the class ahead of them.All that talk should end now.On Sunday, they pushed all their chips to the middle of the table, and made out like Bill Gates.Come Wednesday, the seniors will be crowned conference champions.”It feels good to smile,” Keith Langford said.As positive as the win was, there are still plenty of things for the Jayhawks to work on. J.R. Giddens went scoreless for the first time in a calendar year. Christian Moody and Sasha Kaun failed to grab a rebound. And if Eddie Sutton had switched to a zone defense, Oklahoma State would have won by ten.No wonder he’s 0-11 lifetime in Lawrence.Still, after weeks of doubts, the senior class can finally celebrate. Miles, Langford, Simien and Michael Lee will now go down as one of the greatest recruiting classes in Jayhawk history.It hasn’t always been pretty this season, but at the end of February the Jayhawks have 21 wins and a stranglehold on the Big 12 race.As for Simien, a load of hardware and the jersey retirement to go along with it awaits after this epic game. His main competition for Big 12 Player of the Year threw in the towel before leaving Lawrence.”He is the Big 12 Player of the Year and one of the elite players in the country,” Oklahoma State’s Joey Graham said.After Sunday night, there’s zero room for argument. [1]: http://espn-att.starwave.com/media/ncb/2005/0227/photo/a_simien_ft.jpg
