KU’s Frank Mason III discusses his pro potential on NBA TV, with Grant Hill

By Staff     Apr 1, 2017

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Kansas guard Frank Mason III (0) extends to the bucket past Michigan State forward Nick Ward (44) during the first half on Sunday, March 19, 2017 at BOK Center in Tulsa, Okla.

The next time the public gets to watch national player of the year and Kansas great Frank Mason III play basketball, odds are it will double as Mason’s chance to prove he deserves a spot in the NBA, by playing in the summer league a few months from now.

His odds of pulling off the leap from college standout to trusted member of an NBA roster wasn’t a subject Mason had time for over the past several months, with his tunnel vision focused on getting the Jayhawks as far as he could in his final NCAA Tournament.

Now that the 23-year-old point guard’s KU playing days are through, he felt willing to look ahead to what’s next in an interview with Grant Hill for NBA TV’s “Inside Stuff,” which aired on Saturday.

> “I dreamed of things like these,”
> Mason told Hill of appearing on the
> show almost three months ahead of the
> draft. “I’m just thankful for this
> opportunity, and it just shows you how
> much work I’ve put in over the years.
> And I’m just excited about everything
> and just ready to get started with
> this process.”

Mason, who said he didn’t consider his college career “great,” because he didn’t win a national championship, thought he had “a pretty good four years.” While, as Hill brought up in the one-on-one, NBA decision-makers have varying ideas about what kind of player Mason can become professionally, the Petersburg, Va., native envisions finding success at the highest level of basketball.

> “I think I’m a really good
> play-maker,” said Mason, who scored
> 20.9 points a game as a Kansas senior and dished 5.2 assists. “I can shoot
> the ball, I can get others involved. I
> think I’ll just be an overall great
> teammate and good player.”

On NBA TV, Hill actually got Mason to crack a smile a few times, including when he asked the KU star which of the many great point guards in the league he’s looking forward to facing.

> “Everyone’s good players in the NBA,”
> Mason said. “So I’m looking forward to
> competing with the best and just
> getting out there and playing against
> those guys and having the opportunity
> to be on the floor with them and
> competing against them.”

The most recent mock draft at DraftExpress.com projects Mason as the next-to-last pick, 59th overall, a spot currently occupied by San Antonio.

*- Watch Mason’s complete interview with Hill below.*

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