Former Kansas University basketball guard Michael Lee will be playing in the United States Basketball League this season.
Christian Moody will not.
Reports out of Dodge City that former KU power forward Moody would be playing for the Legend during its 21â2 month spring/early summer season proved a bit premature.
Moody, who completed his eligibility at KU during the 2005-06 season, continues to live in Lawrence, studying for his pre-med entrance exam and preparing for his May wedding while working for the Leo Center – a non-profit Christian outreach and discipleship ministry.
“I know somebody who talked to them for me,” Moody said of the Dodge City Legend, “but I could not do it now. I definitely want to play again if an opportunity comes up. My interests are primarily overseas.”
Ideally, Moody would like to play overseas a year, then enter med school in 2008.
Ex-Jayhawk guard Lee, as reported a few weeks ago, will play for the Kansas Cagerz. The Cagerz are based in Salina.
¢ Altman decision stuns Bahe: Creighton’s basketball players told the Omaha World-Herald they were shaken by coach Dana Altman’s decision to leave the Missouri Valley Conference school, then change his mind overnight and return to Omaha for his 14th season.
Some players were disturbed they learned of Altman’s leaving and returning through friends, relatives or media, not the coach himself.
“I think that bothered some guys,” said Creighton senior-to-be Nick Bahe, who began his career at Kansas University. “It didn’t bother me that much because I realize that when news like that gets leaked, it runs like a hot knife through butter.”
Of the team’s meeting with Altman upon his return, Bahe said: “I don’t know if I’d say guys really let him have it, but he opened it up for questions. When he did, some guys voiced their opinions about how they felt about the whole thing. When you have 15 guys on a team, you’re going to have people feeling different ways about what happened. Some guys didn’t hold back, but he said he wanted us to be honest.”
Of the situation, Bahe told the World-Herald: “It’s not like he can go out and buy us some flowers and a cake. Hallmark doesn’t make a card for something like this. It’s just going to be something that is going to take some time. Personally, I think we’re all going to be fine. We’re all concerned now about taking the steps that will move us forward and help us become the best basketball team for next season. We all want the same thing.”
¢ Jank popular: New Illinois State coach Tim Jankovich held his first coach’s radio show last week at a Normal, Ill., restaurant. The fans took to the former KU assistant, who accepted the ISU post on March 20.
“I think he’s going to be likable to the fans. He’s sharp and got a good wit,” Normal native Mike Rich told the Bloomington Pantagraph newspaper. “How he is going to do on the court, we’re going to have to wait and see.”
“He’s cute,” said Normal native Sally Pyne. “He’s got a really fabulous pedigree. I think Sheahon made a great move,” she added, referring to ISU athletic director Sheahon Zenger. “We miss Porter (Moser, former coach) already, but the program needed someone of (Jankovich’s) apparent caliber. We’re excited.”
¢ More on Clarke: Rotnei Clarke, a high-scoring 5-foot-11 junior from Verdigris High in Claremore, Okla., spoke to the Tulsa World about his scholarship offer from KU, which came Thursday.
“KU is a great school, and I can see myself possibly going there,” he said. “I won’t make a decision until I feel that everything is right.”
Clarke, who averaged 37.6 points a game, received scholarship offers from Santa Clara, USC, New Mexico and New Mexico State since averaging 25 points in last week’s AAU tournament in Las Vegas. He’s also considering Oklahoma, Tulsa, Oral Roberts and others. The paper indicated 17 schools have offered.