You could take the Kansas University players now active at the professional level and fashion a pretty salty franchise to compete in the National Basketball Assn.

At center, there’d be the muscular Scot Pollard, a 6-11 banger who has improved in countless ways since he left KU and settled in with the Sacramento Kings. Scot will be heard from a lot, providing the Kings can get erratic Chris Webber on track and Mike Bibby can keep percolating big-time.

For center backup, there would be Utah’s Greg Ostertag, providing he can recover sufficiently from the recent kidney donation to his ailing sister.

I was never a fan of Greg until he displayed the ultimate in selflessness by agreeing, without the slightest hesitation, to help his desperate sis. That six-year, $39 million contract for Ostertag signed with the Jazz pales next to that brand of stellar citizenship and sibling love.

Hope Greg bounces back big and hearty and continues to collect his $6 million-plus salary for a lot more years . . . and is supremely happy doing so. Most of us critics who earlier didn’t consider him a hero do so now. When he decided to grow up, he did it big-time.

As for our Kansas-spawned NBA forwards, there are Dallas’s 6-11 Raef LaFrentz, liberated from those terrible times at Denver, and rookie Drew Gooden, an athletic 6-10 dervish with a wealth of potential (and a $3 million-plus salary).

If Drew should be unpolished and uncertain at first, we could employ veteran Danny Manning, now a free agent after being cut by Dallas. Can’t believe Manning won’t catch on with some team.

But on our club, Danny could be interchanged with Gooden, LaFrentz and even play a little pivot and shooting guard with his versatility. Pretty good sixth man, after Gooden gained some seasoning.

Everyone around here rejoiced when LaFrentz wound up with a seven-year Dallas Mavericks contract that pays him more than $9 million a season. He’s happy, his family’s happy, Dallas is happy and for sure all the folks familiar with this affable character share his joy. He’s the first NBA guy ever to block more than 100 shots and convert more than 100 three-pointers in a single season.

Backcourt? Point man Jacque Vaughn of the Orlando Magic and shooting guard Paul Pierce of the Boston Celtics. The veteran Vaughn is the only Jayhawk not making a million a year. He’s logged in at about $750,000.

Pierce is a zillionaire like LaFrentz, and of this group is currently KU’s glossiest proven pro. Paul’s future seems unlimited; it appears he’ll be a glistening star for a long, long time. Vaughn still has a lot to prove but even if he doesn’t sparkle with the Magic, he has the intelligence and talents to hook on with somebody, a la Manning.

Too bad Manning has had such terrible luck with his knees. I still contend the root of the problem was his overuse in 1988, at KU, in the Olympics under John Thompson and then right into the pro grind without any semblance of rest for more than a year.

As for other spots on the all-KU roster, you could employ Nick Bradford, Billy Thomas and Rex Walters and maybe even work in Jeff Boschee for specialty situations.

With a crew like that, some pro owner might even try to lure Kansas’s Roy Williams into NBA coaching.

Thanks to KU and Olympic star Bill Hougland, I have a copy of a letter the incomparable Phog Allen wrote to his 1950-51 squad 52 years ago. The 11-page preseason piece is priceless.

Doc was big on missives. During World War II, he regularly sent out inspirational newsletters to Jayhawks in service. Then he’d write guys before each season, trying to get them fired up and ready.

This ’50-51 epistle was typical Doc. He discussed the Korean War, “old devil” Joe Stalin, Dwight Eisenhower, football, the communist threat, free enterprise and the Korean “(blanks)” who “tied our boys’ hands behind their backs and shot them through the forehead . . .”

Then he jumped the team about the 59-57 loss to Bradley in an NCAA playoff the previous season.

“Wait until you boys see the pictures of the Bradley game, and see how many times you threw the ball game away when you had it won. . . . You won’t believe your eyes! You took shots that weren’t wide open and shots that should have not been attempted. . . . You can’t do anything about that game, but you can do something about your physical condition.”

Wanna guess where that led?

Added Phog: “A couple of weeks ago I saw Clyde Lovellette, and he looked as if he had a watermelon stuffed into his abdomen. He weighed exactly 250 pounds and 30 pounds of that was that watermelon. I am not sure whether Clyde lives to eat or eats to live.

“Now this is enough time devoted to my picking on Clyde’s obesity (Clyde, look up the word ‘obesity’!), but it will serve a good purpose. If any of you fellows have any excess poundage, try to get it off before you get up here because it’s going to be a rough fall.” Then he touched on the returning players and potential newcomers, also interesting.

Phog laughed off the rumors that he would retire before the group could accomplish its 1952 NCAA title goal. “Sheer bunk. . . . These Joe Stalin fibs have been used by many and all I can say is I hope you are at KU as long as I am. By that time you can grow a beard.”

KU won it all in 1952; Kansas State wore the crown and reached the NCAA title game in 1951. But Clyde Lovellette never was too hindered by that watermelon en route to All-America fame. Doc spared nobody, once saying all-star B.H. Born “stood around like a Christmas tree (in a January game), and out of season at that!”