Millionaire Julian Wright has removed himself from the Kansas basketball equation, and Darrell Arthur and Brandon Rush have medical obstacles to overcome before they are re-included. Those are players of merit whose absence would devastate a lot of college teams. Not so at KU.
Bill Self would have to do far and away his best coaching job if he faced a whole season with “the other guys.” Yet flawless tutelage of that talent would put Big 12 eminence well within reach. With Arthur apparently lost for no more than six weeks due to a stress fracture and with Rush due to be back from knee surgery as early as Dec. 1, Self should have all 17 bodies on the current roster.
Yet the other 15, including at least one walk-on, would make all but about 10 or 12 U.S. coaches’ eyes bug out in delight.
Not many tutors would cringe at having seniors Darnell Jackson and Sasha Kaun, at 6-foot-8 and 6-11 and muscular as the starting “bigs.” The euphoria would thicken further if they had three-guard support from Russell Robinson, Mario Chalmers and Sherron Collins. Any one of them could start for just about any other team. Look for Jackson, Kaun and Robinson to have banner seasons in whatever lineup they populate.
The proud, dedicated RusRob is taking this business of senior quarterback darn seriously. He’ll be the aorta that courses through the Jayhawk circulatory system. Truly good seniors can do wonders for teams with league and NCAA ambitions. Chalmers has skills he hasn’t even used yet, and Collins if he’s healthy and in top condition can leave opponents grasping at the wind. Maybe senior Jeremy Case finally will play games the way he sparkles in practice.
If Arthur is ready for knock-down-drag-out combat, he, Jackson and Kaun with their experience and ability can perform victorious miracles. What coach would look away from that trifecta? Freshman Cole Aldrich may give KU a four-big crew that rates with the very best
If Rush is at his best by at least Jan. 1, he might again be the effective wingman that lets Self unleash those guards to drive foes nutty. Self also might experiment on the wing while waiting to see if Rush can cut it.
Some observers think senior Rodrick Stewart is on the verge of delivering as he was expected to. He could get a try on the wing. If he falters, they’re talking a lot about the promise of freshman Tyrel Reed as a scoring threat, and I hope Brady Morningstar gets every possible chance to show what he can do, which is a lot.
Freshman Conner Teahan from Rockhurst, the Missouri prepster of last year, bypassed scholarships to walk on here, and he might blossom like a Ryan Robertson down the line. We’re talking big-time potential for the non-Wright-Arthur-Rush contingent, and one of Self’s problems might be too much talent. Most guys would settle for such a curse, however.
The six listed as seniors are Robinson, Stewart, Case, Kaun, Jackson and Brad Witherspoon. Many coaches would gladly settle for a lineup of the first five.
Big 12-wise, Kansas State will be menacing with Bill Walker and Michael Beasley. Texas, Texas A&M and Oklahoma State are lurking in the bulrushes. But Kansas is far and away the favorite, particularly if Arthur and Rush deliver their best goods.
Fun to speculate. Let’s hope the football season is so good we don’t have to turn to the old “at least there’s basketball” until it’s time to celebrate the glories of both seasons.
