So 2 p.m. central time Monday (or today, depending upon when you’re reading this) is the official time for the announcement we’ve all known was coming since last May.
All signs point to Kansas University freshman Andrew Wiggins being headed to the NBA.
Almost everyone I know, along with many of you I don’t, accepted this fact a long time ago and most people did not have much issue with the fact that Wiggins’ time in Lawrence was going to last one season, win, lose or draw.
So here we are at the end of the road. All that’s left to do now is make it official, which Wiggins will do at Allen Fieldhouse on Monday next to head coach Bill Self, who likely will be sitting there with one heck of a smile on his face.
For all of the things Self does well, this is one of his more underrated areas of strength. Never does he make a young man’s decision to stay or go pro about him or the program or winning. It’s always about the kid. And even if Self really is sad to see a guy go, you’d never know it on announcement day.
Today’s press conference is as much for Self and KU as it is for Wiggins. Sure, Wiggins has to make his intent to enter the draft official, but he could do that in a statement or even a phone interview. Having him sit in the Allen Fieldhouse media room one more time, in front of the Jayhawk backdrop, with all of the local media there is nothing but good news for Kansas and its future recruiting.
It’ll probably last about 10-15 minutes and Wiggins will gush about KU, all he learned while he was here and why Kansas was absolutely the right school for him to choose. The best part about it is it will all be very genuine. Everything about Wiggins has been since the moment he first stepped on campus and I can’t see him going out any other way.
Future one-and-dones will be listening and watching, and even if they’re not, they’ll surely read or hear his comments at some point in the near future. Whether they realize it or not, Wiggins’ words will stick with them in some manner.
There was a time when these things felt a little strange at KU. People still held out hope that the announcements would favor KU and shock the world. These days, they’re old hat, as common as listening to Self stress how tough winning the Big 12 yet again is going to be at the beginning of a new season.
Monday’s announcement will favor KU, but not because a superstar is sticking around. It will favor KU because that superstar will say everything Self and the program need him to say on his way out the door — and he’ll mean every word.
When the press conference was announced late Sunday night, I posted on Twitter the details and told my followers I’d let them fill in the rest… Here’s a quick look at some of the best and most laugh-inducing responses:
> • He’s obviously a four year player Matt
>
> • Mission trip then back another
> year….
>
> • Skipping the NBA draft to go
> barnstorming with Niko, Tarik and
> Justin obviously.
>
> • Redshirt is obvious
>
> • 2? 2 = second year of college
> obviously
>
> • Maybe he will say he’s no where near
> ready for the NBA… Lol and his
> teammates as well
>
> • Self is going pro and Wiggins will
> coach through graduation?
>
> • He should announce it early so we
> don’t start believing he is coming
> back
>
> • Come back!
>
> • The Decision Part II. Why isn’t ESPN
> televising this?
