Wearing a bright red McDonald’s All-America jersey and matching red shorts, Charlie Villanueva was easy to locate during pickup basketball games Thursday afternoon at Allen Fieldhouse.

The 6-foot-9, 215-pound high school senior from Blair Academy in Blairstown, N.J., didn’t disappoint 500 or so Kansas University basketball fans, who followed the blue-chip recruit’s every move from the stands during the Jayhawks’ 90-minute workout.

“It went pretty well. I had fun playing out there,” said Villanueva, who swished a handful of three-pointers and also completed a pair of alley-oop dunks off passes from KU senior Kirk Hinrich.

Villanueva, who has until Monday night to decide whether to enter the 2003 NBA Draft or attend college a year or two, more than held his own against college competition, but did struggle guarding KU senior All-American Nick Collison, who shed Villanueva to score several inside buckets off a variety of moves.

Villanueva was escorted off the court to the locker room after the pickup games, answering just one question from the media before showering and leaving the arena. Villanueva’s official campus visit concludes today.

He will return to New Jersey later today, then possibly may make an unofficial visit to UConn Saturday. Villanueva officially is considering KU, UConn, North Carolina and UCLA, plus the NBA option. If Villanueva declares for the draft, he can pull his name out by June 19 and still be eligible to attend college if he does not hire an agent.

Villanueva’s brother, Rob Elias, who runs the Web site charlievillanueva.org said, “I talked to him last night, and he said he was enjoying his visit very much and that he felt comfortable out there. When he gets back Friday, we (family) will probably spend the whole weekend reviewing Charlie’s current options, then make the decision that is best for Charlie.”

• Self the golfer: New KU coach Bill Self has agreed to replace North Carolina coach Roy Williams in the Roberts Dairy Skins Game, set for 3 p.m. Tuesday at The National in Parkville, Mo. Self and golfing legend Tom Watson will compete against George Brett and defending Bayer Advantage Senior golf champion Bruce Lietzke in a nine-hole format for charity.


McDonald's All-American Charlie Villanueva, right, drives against Associated Press All-American Nick Collison. The two played in a pickup game Thursday at Allen Fieldhouse.

Former KU coach Williams competed in the event the past two years, but had to pull out this year because of conflicts in North Carolina.

• KU senior Collison to attend camp: Collison couldn’t talk about Villanueva’s performance in pickup games in accordance with NCAA rules.

However, he could talk about his own future NBA career. Collison, who recently hired Dave Higgins of SFX as his agent, will go to the Chicago draft camp June 3-10, along with fellow KU senior Kirk Hinrich, but only for physical exams.

As sure first-round picks, they have been advised not to play at the camp. Later, they will take part in individual workouts for certain NBA teams.

Kansas University prospect Charlie Villanueva, center, drives against KU's Brett Olson, left, as Jeff Graves, back left, and Nick Collison chase the play. The Jayhawks played a pickup game with Villanueva Thursday at Allen Fieldhouse.

“I think a lot of guys know what I can do. They know I can play the game, and I can play hard,” said Collison. “I think I’ll be in a good position (in June 25 draft).”

He is hoping to be picked by a team “in a place where I could play,” he said. “Hopefully, I’ll be there a long time.”

He has been tapped one of three “role players” for the U.S. Senior team, which will play in the Olympic qualifying tournament this summer in Puerto Rico. He’ll be joined by guys like Kobe Bryant and Allen Iverson.

“It’s huge,” Collison said of the honor. He ultimately also mightbe added to the 2004 Olympic team. “I’ve played with them a lot,” he added of USA Basketball teams. “I will play hard. I won’t complain. I’ll be a role player. I’ll have fun. It’ll be a great experience.”

• Snow in Reno: Lawrence was hit by a tornado Thursday, the same day it snowed in Reno, Nev., hometown of KU signee David Padgett.

Self is a big fan of Padgett, a 6-11 McDonald’s All-American, who signed with Roy Williams’ KU program in November before re-committing to Self’s program recently.

“I think he’s a great great player,” Self told the Reno Gazette-Journal. “But he’s a better prospect than he is a player now. He’s a guy who can run. He’s explosive. He has good range on his shot. He has great hands. He has all the things you are looking for. He’s going to be an impact guy. The table is set for him to have a big impact as a freshman. It just depends when the light goes on.

“I think he’ll be extremely effective in our system because of how he moves. He can play facing the basket. He can play with his back to the basket.”

Of landing a re-commitment from Padgett, Self said: “I felt it was recruitment for me. I didn’t think it was selling Kansas. He was already sold on Kansas, but a player signs with a coach. I think it was just telling them (Padgett family members) how we do things as a staff, some similar, some different.”

KU will play U.C. Santa Barbara on Dec. 20 and Nevada on Dec. 21 in the Wolf Pack Classic in Reno, Nev. Those are games set up for Padgett.

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