Column: Alexander doesn’t have to be great, but freshman headed that direction

By Tom Keegan     Oct 10, 2014

Nick Krug
Red Team forward Cliff Alexander works his way into the post against Blue Team forward Hunter Mickelson during the Late Night in the Phog scrimmage on Friday, Oct. 10, 2014 at Allen Fieldhouse.

Kansas University freshman center Cliff Alexander didn’t have a baby hook shot until Bill Self taught him one in Lawrence. Now he looks as if he has had it his whole life.

“I’ve been working on it ever since I stepped foot on campus,” said Alexander, a 6-foot-9 wide-body from Chicago recruited by all the elite college basketball programs. “Coach told me that’s got to be my go-to move, so that’s what I’m making it.”

Alexander revved his motor and chased every rebound as if it were a lottery ticket of the NBA variety.

“That’s just my game,” Alexander said. “That’s what coach told me to do, so that’s what I provide.”

Detect a pattern? 

His coach —  the guy who has won 10 consecutive Big 12 titles, the coach who lost the first and third selections of the NBA draft and is favored to extend his streak to 11 titles — tells him to do something and he does it.

Alexander is smart enough to know he doesn’t know as much about the sport he plays with passion as his coach knows. He knows his coach can help him reach his goals quicker than he can get there on his own. 

Alexander didn’t arrive on campus in June with much offensive polish, but already is developing some. 

“I think the thing about it is, with Cliff he’s never played against length and then when he got here he realized it’s hard to score over length and you need to come up with something to score over length,” KU coach Bill Self said. “He’s going to be a good offensive player. He’s not there yet, but he’s got a naturally soft touch and he goes after the ball.”

Alexander totaled 12 points and four rebounds in his 15 minutes on the floor. He twice scored on a baby hook. That had to feel good, but those will never be the shots that light his fire. He loves to dunk, so it was no surprise that when Frank Mason drove to the hoop and passed it back, Alexander took the basketball way behind his head and flushed it. More than just Alexander’s father, who had made the trip from Chicago, had a big smile on his face.

Asked to name his favorite basket of the night, Alexander smiled and said, “The dunk.”

Added Selden, sitting next to him at the post-game interview table: “On me.”

“He played real well,” Selden said of Alexander. “He doesn’t have to be the best scorer on the team, but if he’s the hustle player and he’s getting all the rebounds, that’s when he’s going to be the best for us.”

He doesn’t need to be Alexander the Great. He just needs to be Cliff. That’s plenty good enough for now.

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