In fact, the 6-foot-8, 240-pound former Kansas University basketball forward, who defeated 2008 NBA Most Valuable Player Kobe Bryant in that hamburger hoops pregame extravaganza, a decade later can barely make it up and down the court.

The reason?

Bad wheels.

“I wish I would have slacked off on the jumping to preserve my knees,” the 31-year-old Earl said Wednesday, forcing a smile.

He gamely grabbed one rebound while playing a handful of minutes in the KU alumni team’s 76-69 victory over the current Jayhawks at Horejsi Center.

“I knew I wasn’t going to be able to compete with those guys, but it’s nice to be out there and show my son I can run a little bit,” said Earl, who spends his time “working on the Internet and raising my son (7-year-old Jeremiah).

“I just run behind my little man. He keeps me in shape. As long as I keep up with him, I’ll stay in pretty good shape.”

Earl last played professional basketball in 2003 in Spain.

He labored a bit in last year’s Kansas City Pro-Am summer league before giving up hoops for good.

“It’s not going to change. It’s never going to change,” Earl said of his knee woes. “The doctor told me my (left) knee was that of an 80-year-old. The other is of a 40-year-old. I’m thinking about knee-replacement surgery in five to 10 years.”

It’s been a rotten turn of events for Earl, who was considered a can’t-miss NBA prospect his senior year at Glen Oaks High in Baton Rouge, La.

He left Louisiana State for Kansas after playing 11 games his freshman year, then had a three-year KU career (1997-2000) in which he saw limited duty because of injuries.

“Too many,” he said, asked how many times his left knee has been under the knife. “I stopped counting after the eighth or ninth drainage. It’s pretty much been a disaster.”

Though he lives just 40 minutes from Lawrence, Earl says he doesn’t visit much.

“It’s difficult (to come back) when you can’t participate,” he said. “I like the feeling this week. I’m here to support my son. He’s in the (Bill Self) camp participating.

“I talked to some (academic) people today about trying to get the degree thing behind me. I’m going to start back up (in school). I’m going to meet with them again in a couple weeks.”

Earl still needs to complete some coursework to attain his business degree.

What’ll he do with his sheepskin?

“Probably be a Mr. Mom,” he said with a laugh. “I hear that’s paying well. What’s the rate, like $100,000 a year for a stay-at-home mom?”

The ever-quotable Earl still sometimes finds his way into the news, like in September of 2007 when he walked into the offices of the Baton Rouge (La.) Advocate and asked to speak to the LSU sports reporter.

Earl hand-delivered a three-page written apology to LSU fans, former Tiger coach Dale Brown and assistant Johnny Jones, for his role in getting the school placed on probation in 1998.

LSU was found guilty of violations in the recruitment of Earl.

“It was way overdue,” Earl said of his apology. “I’d go online and see stuff about that (probation) was still talked about. I said, ‘Why not give them an apology and put it behind me and the community?’

“Coach Brown did call me after my apology came out. I think a lot of people were pleased about it.”

Brown told the Advocate he held no ill will toward Earl.

“The most interesting journey that a person can make is discovering himself. I believe Lester has done that, and I forgive him,” Brown told the paper.

Earl hopes he can give back to his home state someday.

“It’s always tough to leave. Who wants to leave the nest? It’s home,” he said. “That’s history now. Hopefully I’ll go back one day and maybe get a coaching job there. My family is still there. It’s always going to be home.”