Let us play a little game, taking a ride in the not-too-far-down-the-road machine.Basketball season is over, and no matter how badly some of you want to be pinched and have it be Saturday morning all over again, it’s not going to happen. The reality is that for four KU players, the next couple of weeks hold some big decisions – a life-changing choice that will decide whether now’s the time to play for pay.Sophomores Mario Chalmers and Brandon Rush and freshmen Sherron Collins and Darrell Arthur are those four. Their situations vary, and some choices are more concrete than others. That’s why it’s time to take a look at what they should do: Stay, Go or Sway.**Mario Chalmers, 6-foot-1 195 pound sophomore guard** **2006-07 Final stats**: 12.2 ppg, 3.3 apg, 3.0 rpg, 2.6 spg, 91 TO **Moment to remember**: Hit the game-tying three at the end of regulation against [Texas in the Big 12 title game][1], which KU eventually won in overtime. A week earlier, he went 5-of-5 from three-point range and scored 21 points and had five assists in the [first of two comeback wins over the Longhorns][2]. **Moment to forget**: In the first of KU’s two conference losses, Chalmers had a very pedestrian game [against Texas Tech][3], despite being on the floor for 34 minutes. He only got off just six shots, finished with five points and fouled out. He only picked up five fouls three times all year. [Saturday against UCLA][4] also ranks up there, going 1-of-8 from the field. While he had seven assists, he turned it over just as many times. **The Greene Room verdict**: Sway **What’ll actually happen**: He’ll be back. Chalmers said right after KU’s loss Saturday that he will be back next year. I for one will say I was surprised to hear that from Chalmers. A couple of days earlier, I said he’d be a fool for not at least testing the waters of the NBA Draft without signing with an agent. Athletically, Chalmers is NBA ready. He could use a little more strength, and he still has a tendency to have one bad decision on the floor snowball into a series of them. Plus, it might be hard to be a starter in the NBA as a two-guard given his height. Off the bench? Maybe. But to be a big-time NBA player, his ability to run an offense might need some work.But what he does bring right now is undeniable. Chalmers was second on the team with 59 three-pointers, and was as offensively valuable as anyone in a KU uniform. When he had solid offensive games this year, the Jayhawks succeeded, and there was no denying that. Defensively, he’s an absolute pest. No player on KU’s roster was better at freeing the ball up from an opponent behind the top of the key, and he led KU ins steals by a margin of 24. He could not only bring that to an NBA team right now off the bench, but he could also shoot the lights out in an NBA game. Plus, he has the ultimate intangible – swagger. Chalmers loves to please the crowd in the open court following a steal by throwing down seemingly-improbable dunks from a guy who’s just 6-foot-1, and he’s a constant chest-thumper, fist-pumper and yeller, no matter how soft-spoken he is off the court.Of course, this is pretty moot, given he already said he’s coming back, but it’d be very interesting what kind of buzz he could create at an NBA Draft camp right now. Instead, he’ll come back, add on some bulk, and next year, don’t expect such a quick decision.**Sherron Collins, 5-foot-11 200 pound freshman guard** **2006-07 Final stats**: 22.3 mpg, 9.3 ppg (11.3 ppg in Big 12 play), 2.9 apg **Moment to remember**: Even though KU lost the game, the moment I thought Sherron Collins truly arrived this season was in a [Feb. 3 loss to Texas A&M][5]. That night, Collins took the team on his back offensively, finishing with 18 points and hitting three huge treys. He was also great [at Kansas State][6] and [at home against Missouri][7], but against A&M he proved he could hang with the big boys. **Moment to forget**: Collins’ scoring average in conference play would have held up a little higher had he not gone scoreless in the final two games of the regular season. In the win over Texas, he was solid even though he didn’t register a point. But [against Oklahoma][8], a game which KU escaped with a 67-65 win, Collins had an unproductive 33 minutes, going 0-for-5 from the field, with just two assists to go with two giveaways. **The Greene Room verdict**: Stay **What’ll actually happen**: He ain’t goin’ anywhere. The biggest mistake of Collins’ life would be leaving. And to be honest, it shouldn’t even be an option. Though he left some scratching their heads in the locker room following Saturday’s loss to UCLA.”A couple changes might happen, a couple changes might be made,” he said when asked what the roster might look like next year. “But I don’t know what’s going to happen with me, I can’t look forward right now. I don’t know. Hard question to answer right now. So I don’t know.”Chances are he wasn’t referring to leaving. He was more than likely talking about a knee problem which Bill Self said after the game had bothered him for the past couple of weeks.That right there is the main reason he should stay. This season left Collins banged up in a couple of ways, and if that’s the case after a 38-game, four-month slate, imagine the toll an 82-game schedule running from October through April could take. No one’s doubting that the kid is a physical specimen at just 5-foot-11 and is as tough as a pit bull. But he needs to mature in terms of conditioning.What Collins did to lose weight and cut fast food faves out of his diet was impressive, and it visibly helped him on the floor. Plus, his decision-making improvements made him go from looking like an And One all-star to a solid collegiate dynamo. Now he needs to prove that he can do that for an entire season, not just half of one.Plus, if [former Illinois stud Dee Brown][9], also recruited and coached by Bill Self, was a second-round pick after four years with everything he accomplished, there’s no way Collins could do any better after one season, even if Collins is a better shooter and playmaker.**Darrell Arthur, 6-foot-9 230 pound freshman forward** **2006-07 Final stats**: 19.0 mpg, 9.8 ppg, 4.7 rpg, team-high 56 blocks, team-high 103 personal fouls **Moment to remember**: Some people wondered how inflated Arthur’s early-season numbers were given KU’s competition (such as 26 points [against Towson][10]). But he made it all look legit with 19 points and nine rebounds in an [82-80 overtime win over Florida][11] on Nov. 25. Most impressive in that game was his 7-of-9 showing from the free throw line, most of which came in the game’s crucial closing minutes. **Moment to forget**: Just like Collins, Arthur was at his worst in the win at Oklahoma. He not only went scoreless there for the only time this season, but it was also his lone zero in the rebounding category. He had three fouls in just six minutes on the floor. **The Greene Room verdict**: Sway **What’ll actually happen**: He’ll be back, but it might involve drama such as that of his college decision last summer. Arthur was averaging just a shade over 15 points per game in the first eight games of the season and was undeniably KU’s best player at that point.But scoring roughly 10 points per game on a team as deep and balanced as Kansas says something. Plus, his physical ability is incredible. At 6-foot-9 with a chiseled frame, he’s the prototype for what the new generation of NBA forwards are. Offensive finesse isn’t important, but rather the ability to run the floor and play above the rim.For the first month or two of the season, Arthur looked like a for-sure one-and-done, but the likelihood of that to many drizzled away as the year progressed. There’s reasons, too. He could still use a little more strength with the muscle he has. He also needs to become a better post passer. He had just 17 assists all season, and had a tendency to force things offense, despite his sensational touch inside of eight feet. He could also benefit from being a tougher rebounder. The foul trouble is tough to pick on him for. He was the victim of plenty of touchy calls, especially late in the year.Though Arthur is the type who could break out at any time. He could go to an NBA Draft camp and blow people away. His measurables are there, and if he were to just have a solid showing on the floor, he’s a potential lottery pick. Shoot, if there was no rule in effect keeping high school players from entering the draft, he might have never come to KU.Another reason to say ‘sway’ is that it’s hard to see much of a difference between him and [Tyrus Thomas][12], who had a huge breakout showing in last year’s NCAA Tournament for LSU after not being that highly-touted out of high school. Even in his rookie season for the Chicago Bulls, Thomas is still offensively raw, but he has an incredibly high ceiling, just like Arthur, because of his size (6-foot-9, 206) and athletic ability. Oh yeah, and he was the fourth overall pick last year.Arthur’s a good kid, and he doesn’t seem susceptible to biting on bad advice. He’ll do what’s best for him. If he does come back, he’s easily one of the nation’s top-five sophomores.**Brandon Rush, 6-6 210 pound sophomore forward** **2006-07 Final stats**: 13.8 ppg, 43.1 three-point FG percentage, second on team with 5.6 rpg **Moment to remember**: KU was on the verge of losing on the road to [Iowa State on Jan. 13][13], when the Cyclones’ Mike Taylor couldn’t miss even if he tried. Rush not only switched onto the shorter guard, shutting him down completely, but he bailed the Jayhawks out on offense to help them escape with a 68-64 overtime win. **Moment to forget**: In KU’s second loss of the season, [Dec. 2 at DePaul][14], Rush went just 1-of-7 from the field and finished with three points. He was exposed late by the Blue Demons’ Sammy Mejia. But from that point on, no one got the better of him. **The Greene Room verdict**: Go **What’ll actually happen**: He’s taken his final bow in Allen Fieldhouse. Honestly, I believe this is the time to go for Rush. Could he play in an NBA game right now? Yes.See, the thing that clouds the minds of too many people on the NBA Draft is where someone will be selected. Rush would have to wow some folks at draft camps and individual workouts to be a lottery pick. But right now, he’s a first-rounder. That means he gets taken somewhere, let’s say, in the 20-26 range. That means he’s going to a decent team, where he can learn from solid veterans and isn’t needed to resurrect a franchise, such as many lottery choices.Even if Rush were to, say, slip to the second round, that means nothing. Two names which come to mind are [Gilbert Arenas][15] and [Monta Ellis][16], both second round selections who are now NBA studs.I’ve said it all along that no matter where he goes and no matter when he gets selected, Brandon Rush will have a long, successful NBA career, much like that of a [Bruce Bowen][17], given his size and defensive abilities. Rush can be a scorer. He’ll never be a 20 ppg guy, but he can score 10 a night in the league. With his height, length and ability to slide his feet, he could probably guard four different NBA positions, which alone makes him desired.The lone question I have with Rush in the NBA is his maturity. He’s a good guy, but he has a tendency to be a little bit silly. The thing with that, though, is it can be shaken out of him both in college and in the NBA. I, for one, think his decision is pretty cut-and-dry.**And a quick note to finish with…**I know Kansas fans love to whine and moan and complain about free throw woes, so here’s a couple of numbers to take with you into the offseason:-In two games in San Jose, KU was a combined 15-of-30 from the stripe.-Of the nine players in Kansas’ regular rotation (ending with Rodrick Stewart), the highest free throw percentage on the season individually belonged to Chalmers, who shot 77 percent. Second behind him was Sherron Collins, who was 76.6 percent from the line, but only had 64 attempts on the year. After that, the best mark belonged to Rush at 68.1.See you next week.**_KUSports.com editor Ryan Greene can be reached at rgreene@ljworld.com, or by phone at (785) 832-6357._** [1]: http://www2.kusports.com/news/2007/mar/12/we_are_fighters/?mens_basketball [2]: http://www2.kusports.com/news/2007/mar/04/outright/?mens_basketball [3]: http://www2.kusports.com/news/2007/jan/21/storm_warning/?mens_basketball [4]: http://www2.kusports.com/news/2007/mar/25/bruined/?mens_basketball [5]: http://www2.kusports.com/news/2007/feb/04/oh_agony/?mens_basketball [6]: http://www2.kusports.com/news/2007/feb/20/keep_streakin/?mens_basketball [7]: http://www2.kusports.com/news/2007/jan/16/collins_goes_ballin/?mens_basketball [8]: http://www2.kusports.com/news/2007/feb/27/wake_call/?mens_basketball [9]: http://www.nba.com/playerfile/daniel_brown/index.html [10]: http://www2.kusports.com/news/2006/nov/20/bigtime_bounceback/?mens_basketball [11]: http://www2.kusports.com/news/2006/nov/26/later_gators/?mens_basketball [12]: http://www.nba.com/playerfile/tyrus_thomas/index.html [13]: http://www2.kusports.com/news/2007/jan/14/rush_hushes_hilton/?mens_basketball [14]: http://www2.kusports.com/news/2006/dec/03/ku_gets_cold_shoulder/?mens_basketball [15]: http://www.nba.com/playerfile/gilbert_arenas/index.html [16]: http://www.nba.com/playerfile/monta_ellis/index.html [17]: http://www.nba.com/playerfile/bruce_bowen/index.html
