What could’ve been…

By Matt Tait     Dec 4, 2008

In recent years, more and more Jayhawks have begun to find their way onto NBA rosters. That wasn’t always the case, as many KU teams of the ’80s and ’90s were filled with fantastic college players that barely made a peep at the professional level. But the game has changed. And so has recruiting. Now, it’s equally as important for college coaches to be able to develop NBA talent as it is for them to be able to coach a 2-3 zone. Things are no different at KU, as Jayhawks coach Bill Self has developed a reputation as one of the best in the nation at cranking out NBA-ready players. That much is obvious when glancing at NBA box scores on a day-to-day basis. Just yesterday, Darrell Arthur (Memphis) scored 11 points in a loss to Atlanta, Brandon Rush (Indiana) added 5 points and 2 boards in 24 minutes against the Celtics, and Mario Chalmers (Miami) scored 10 points and added 5 assists and 3 steals while starting and playing 30 minutes in the Heat’s win over Utah. As the years move on, former Jayhawks are making more of a name for themselves — and their alma mater — than ever before. But there still are quite a few former ‘Hawks that never got that shot, guys who had outstanding college careers that didn’t translate into NBA success. That list is long and it features some of KU’s all-time greats.So who’s on your list? Which former Jayhawks — whether they got a shot or not — didn’t do what you thought they would at the next level? For my money, Keith Langford is at the top of the list. Langford’s game was made for the NBA, as he was a guy who could finish in traffic and was never shy about driving the lane. Perhaps it was his weak jump shot or lack of size and speed that kept him out of the league, but that one always surprised me.So who’s surprised you?

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Written By Matt Tait

A native of Colorado, Matt moved to Lawrence in 1988 and has been in town ever since. He graduated from Lawrence High in 1996 and the University of Kansas in 2000 with a degree in Journalism. After covering KU sports for the University Daily Kansan and Rivals.com, Matt joined the World Company (and later Ogden Publications) in 2001 and has held several positions with the paper and KUsports.com in the past 20+ years. He became the Journal-World Sports Editor in 2018. Throughout his career, Matt has won several local and national awards from both the Associated Press Sports Editors and the Kansas Press Association. In 2021, he was named the Kansas Sportswriter of the Year by the National Sports Media Association. Matt lives in Lawrence with his wife, Allison, and two daughters, Kate and Molly. When he's not covering KU sports, he likes to spend his time playing basketball and golf, listening to and writing music and traveling the world with friends and family.