The holiday spirit was alive in the Iowa Street Walmart late Wednesday night.
The Kansas men’s basketball team made its annual finals-week visit to Walmart for a charitable holiday shopping excursion, a tradition that dates back three decades. The event, which is coordinated principally by Roger and Linda Morningstar and the Salvation Army, supplies 17 players with one family apiece for which to purchase holiday gifts.
Operating from a list that provides basic information about the family members and their desired gifts, the players load up shopping carts for a good cause. This time around, they had a budget of approximately $100 of donated money apiece per child in their assigned family with which to select the best possible prizes.
Head coach Bill Self noted that players also sometimes choose to supplement that with their own money.
“We’ve been doing this ever since we came,” he said. “Roger and Linda Morningstar have been the key players in this. It’s something that was done back with Coach (Roy) Williams’ staff as well. So we’ve been doing this and trying to raise a little bit of money for this and providing for families.”
Prior to the event, long-tenured walk-on Jayhawk Michael Jankovich joked that he had the aisles memorized, adding, “I like to make plays out here, so hoping I can do the same again.”
“Just trying to make an impact in the community, I guess, is first and foremost,” he said, more earnestly. “This is a really special opportunity that we get to do, really try to help someone’s holiday season out. My strategy’s just (to) envision a family that may not have the resources to get what they want this holiday season, and just kind of help them out with some necessities and also some fun things that they can use.”
Jankovich recalled that one year he was able to more efficiently browse the store using a bike that gave him “a little bit of an advantage.” This time around, Dillon Wilhite had a bike taking up plenty of room in his cart but didn’t use it as a means of transportation.
Jankovich also noted that he’s had consistent success picking Lego sets over the years. Indeed, that aisle was a popular destination for the Jayhawks throughout the excursion.
Freshman Jamari McDowell said he intended to use his leftover allocated money, after purchasing the relevant articles of clothing, to add on bonus toys.
“When I was a kid and I opened a box with some clothes, I was disappointed,” he said.
The outing arrived in the middle of finals week for the Jayhawks. Self suggested that the structure and overall stress level of that week has changed for his players.
“Because it used to be if you’re taking 15 hours, that’s five finals,” he said, “and now with so many classes that are by arrangement and online, I don’t know if it’s exactly the same way because the majority of our guys have probably two to three finals with a test where they actually sit down in a classroom.”
Regardless, it’s a rare week during which KU doesn’t play any basketball games. But the schedule resumes Saturday when the Jayhawks travel to Indiana for an 11:30 a.m. Central Time tipoff.
Jamari McDowell poses for a photo during the KU men’s basketball team’s holiday shopping trip to Walmart on Iowa Street on Wednesday, Dec. 13, 2023.
Wilder Evers checks out at the KU men’s basketball team’s holiday shopping trip to Walmart on Iowa Street on Wednesday, Dec. 13, 2023.
Nick Timberlake looks at the contents of his cart during the KU men’s basketball team’s holiday shopping trip to Walmart on Iowa Street on Wednesday, Dec. 13, 2023.
KJ Adams and Parker Braun roam the aisles during the KU men’s basketball team’s holiday shopping trip to Walmart on Iowa Street on Wednesday, Dec. 13, 2023.
Kevin McCullar considers the contents of his cart during the KU men’s basketball team’s holiday shopping trip to Walmart on Iowa Street on Wednesday, Dec. 13, 2023.
Jamari McDowell browses the shoe aisle during the KU men’s basketball team’s holiday shopping trip to Walmart on Iowa Street on Wednesday, Dec. 13, 2023.
Johnny Furphy, left, and Nick Timberlake, right, consider clothing options during the KU men’s basketball team’s holiday shopping trip to Walmart on Iowa Street on Wednesday, Dec. 13, 2023.
Hunter Dickinson, right, considers clothing options during the KU men’s basketball team’s holiday shopping trip to Walmart on Iowa Street on Wednesday, Dec. 13, 2023.
Dajuan Harris Jr., with Nerf hoop and football in tow, browses Walmart during the KU men’s basketball team’s holiday shopping trip on Wednesday, Dec. 13, 2023.
KJ Adams begins his shopping trip during the KU men’s basketball team’s holiday excursion to Walmart on Iowa Street on Wednesday, Dec. 13, 2023.
Henry Greenstein/Journal-World
Henry Greenstein/Journal-World
Henry Greenstein/Journal-World
Henry Greenstein/Journal-World
Henry Greenstein/Journal-World
Henry Greenstein/Journal-World
Henry Greenstein/Journal-World
Henry Greenstein/Journal-World
Henry Greenstein/Journal-World
Henry Greenstein/Journal-World
Henry Greenstein/Journal-World