Darrell Arthur sure didn’t look like a typical freshman making his major-college debut Thursday night.
In fact, Kansas University junior Russell Robinson had to rub his eyes a couple of times just to make sure somebody else – somebody mighty famous – hadn’t invaded the 6-foot-9, 230-pounder’s double-zero jersey.
“At times he reminded me of Wayne,” Robinson said, comparing Arthur’s 21-point, six-rebound, six-steal performance to that of former KU All-American Wayne Simien, now a second-year player with the Miami Heat.
“The way he shoots it : such a quick release. He was so aggressive.”
Arthur turned in a Simien-esque performance while playing just 22 minutes in the Jayhawks’ 99-69 exhibition-opening victory over Washburn at Allen Fieldhouse.
He hit seven of 13 shots, including one of two threes, and also swished six of nine free throws.
If the game had been a regular-season contest, Arthur would have tied the freshman debut scoring record of Norm Cook (21 points against Murray State on Dec. 1, 1973).
Not bad for a guy playing with his shooting hand wrapped, protecting a cut that earlier in the week required five stitches to close.
Not bad for a guy with some other maladies, too.
“I was tired most of the time. We have to work on some things. Conditioning is one of them,” Arthur said. “I had butterflies before the game. I still had butterflies all through the game. The guys worked me through it. I was asking a lot of questions the whole game.”
Arthur thought he shook his case of the nerves before the pre-game meal.
A batch of his loved ones made the trip from Dallas and pulled into the Jayhawker Towers parking lot well before tipoff. It was time to calm him down.
“My mom, grandmother, brother, best friend, auntie, uncle and cousin (were here),” Arthur reported. “I’d not seen my grandmother since I came to school. I was really happy to see her.”
He was fine : until he came out of the northwest tunnel for warmups.
“I had a little bit of butterflies about the fans,” Arthur said. “I talked to my family a lot, and it helped, but as soon as I got in here, I was nervous.”
Yet he played well – so well a reporter asked him if that was real ‘Slim Shady,’ Arthur’s nickname.
“I don’t know. People don’t really call me Slim Shady any more,” Arthur said. “They call me by my real name. They don’t really know me by that name here.”
KU coach Bill Self, whose team used an early 24-4 run to open an 28-10 lead and never really looked back, was pleased with Arthur and fellow freshman Sherron Collins, who had eight points, five assists and one turnover.
“I thought they both did some good things. Neither are very good at playing defense yet,” Self said. “Offensively they’re pretty good. He (Arthur) has a knack for getting the ball in the hole. Shady is still scared to play a little bit with his hands, I mean go after balls. He’s a better rebounder and shot-blocker than he showed tonight.”
He had two blocks and six rebounds.
“He’s a little nervous about his hands since he still has the stitches in one. But, good gosh, he scores 21 points in 22 minutes. He’s a natural in a lot of ways,” Self said. “Sherron was average in the first half. In the second half, I told him he needs to be more aggressive, and he is, he can get his shot off.
“He (Arthur) and Sherron are not bashful. We will not have to tell them to shoot the ball. They’ll be clipping ’em at a good rate.”
Darnell Jackson exploded for 18 points and 10 boards in 25 minutes. Had it been an actual game, it would have been career high scoring, rebounding, field goals (8) and field-goal attempts (12) for the junior center. It would have marked his second career double-double.
“I love how aggressive he was,” Self said of Jackson, enthused to play with his mother in the stands. “I said all along he’s a good shooter. Defensively we get buried. He’s got to do better. From a production standpoint, it’s his best game.”
Julian Wright contributed 15 points off 5-of-8 shooting with nine rebounds, while Mario Chalmers had 12 points and Brandon Rush 10 points, six boards and five assists. Rodrick Stewart had five points in 12 minutes.
The Jayhawks will meet Emporia State at 7 p.m. Tuesday at Allen Fieldhouse.
