The future is now
Self not yet set on permanent starting lineup
Bill Self likes to pick a starting lineup and stick with it.
“I want to get a five and hopefully go with the five. Right now, I couldn’t tell you who the five will be,” Self, Kansas University’s first-year coach, said Monday on the eve of tonight’s exhibition opener against EA Sports All-Stars.
Tipoff is 7:05 p.m. at Allen Fieldhouse, with a live telecast on channels 13 and 38 (Sunflower Broadband channels 13, 15).
Self knows who will open tonight’s game — big men Wayne Simien and Jeff Graves, plus perimeter players Aaron Miles, Keith Langford and Bryant Nash.
“I think we’ll go with the old guys,” Self said of the upperclassmen. “Not to read anything into it — just the first exhibition game, give the veterans a chance to start.
“It would be a long shot to start the same teams both (exhibitions).”
The Jayhawks will play a second and final exhibition against Pittsburg State Nov. 11 at Allen Fieldhouse.
“We would like to see who comes off the bench well and who is better at a starting position,” Self said. “I do not want to start a different team each game based on a scouting report (of opposing team).”
Three starters — Simien, Langford and Miles — are set. Graves is battling freshman David Padgett for the open big-man spot, with several Jayhawks vying for the other perimeter slot.
New Kansas University men's basketball coach Bill Self will make his debut on the Jayhawks' sideline during tonight's exhibition game against EA Sports All-Stars.
“I believe it is a coin flip on who we should start next to Wayne,” Self said, indicating Padgett and Graves each had played impressively at preseason camp.
“I’d say the most pleasant surprise has been Padgett,” Self said. “He only knows one speed. He is in fifth gear every single possession. I’ll be the first to say I am proud of Jeff Graves, (but) he needs to be pushed every day. I still think that he has a lot more to give, but I am real pleased with his effort.”
Self mentioned Nash, Michael Lee, Jeff Hawkins, plus the “young guys” — freshmen guards J.R. Giddens, Omar Wilkes and Jeremy Case — as competitors for the third perimeter position.
“Keith and Aaron have separated themselves from the pack. Nobody else has jumped off the page at you and said, ‘This is my spot,'” Self said. “It makes me a little nervous.”
He’s not nervous about KU’s depth, especially in the frontcourt.
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three better big guys than us, if any,” Self said, noting soph forward Moulaye Niang also had a good two weeks of practice.
Graves, a senior, was glad to hear he was starting tonight, but said he could accept Self ultimately choosing Padgett.
“I think it’s good,” Graves said, “but everything is good. It’d be good if we start Wayne and David or me and David or me and Wayne. Any combination. This team is looking to come together as a unit and stay strong.”
Langford — he had a bandage over his right eye after taking an elbow from Niang at a recent practice — said workouts had been spirited.
“They can look at it as competition,” Langford said of the perimeter candidates, “but whoever is on the court will have to fill a role, fill a need. The guy who starts might not be as good as the guy coming off the bench. It doesn’t matter. This team’s success matters.”
Self agreed bench players could be more talented than starters.
“Sean Harrington at Illinois … we started him a third of the games and he was never as good as a starter as he was coming off the bench,” Self said of KU’s new administrative assistant. “Sometimes a team needs stability or scoring coming off the bench.”
KU’s roles should be more defined for the Nov. 21 regular-season opener against Tennessee-Chattanooga.
“I just think it’s always best to know who the starters are,” Self said. “A lot of times the bench guys thinking they should be starters is not the best for chemistry. We are just trying to figure it out.”
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Braids missing: Graves reported for practice Monday sporting a frizzy hairdo — his trademark braids missing. “I’ve got to get it done right after practice,” Graves said of having his hair braided for tonight’s game. “This is kind of stylish, though,” he added, grinning.
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Giddens update: Frosh guard Giddens said his left foot was not yet 100 percent. The 6-5 newcomer from Oklahoma City had offseason surgery to repair a stress fracture.
“But I will play like it’s 100 percent,” he said. “I’ve rolled it a couple times, but it’s fine. I will get in there play hard, run the offense and show how I can be a team player. I’ll get rebounds and try to do the dirty work because that’s what we need.”
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No stitches: Langford on the bandage over his right eye: “It’s something new called ‘Superglue.’ They use it instead of stitches. I caught an elbow at practice. This is basketball. You get elbowed sometimes.”
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Tonight’s plan: Hawkins on tonight’s exhibition against EA Sports, a team that lost to Wyoming, 97-87, Saturday night: “Coach wants us to come out and execute. He doesn’t really care how many points we put on the board. He wants us to play like we practice.
“I’m excited, not as nervous as last year. But I’m sure before I hit the tunnel I’ll get cold chills.”
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EA ties: Harrington was a teammate of EA Sports forward Lucas Johnson for three years at Illinois.
“I think he’s looking forward to it. It’s been a while since he’s seen the coaches and myself,” Harrington said.
The Kansas University men's basketball team huddles before practice Monday in Allen Fieldhouse. The Jayhawks take on the EA Sports All-Stars tonight in an exhibition home opener.
Johnson is a rugged 6-8 forward known for stellar defensive play. Self, who coached Johnson at Illinois, said the player took several charges in the first half of the Wyoming game.
“I would say first possession I’d look for a charge,” Harrington said with a grin. “He will flop to take a charge on the first play. He’s a very smart, talented player. Obviously he’s been playing the game a long time and knows how to play.”
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Measuring stick: Self on his approach to tonight’s exhibition: “When you know what you have and everything you treat exhibition games kind of like a practice. I think we’ll try to treat this one maybe a little bit different, see who can play in front of lights and people, kind of seeing where we are at.”
Experimental rules will be used tonight, including the trapezoid lane and deeper three-point line.
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Nerves?: Self, who tonight makes his KU coaching debut, received a thunderous ovation from fans Oct. 17 at “Late Night in the Phog.”
“I don’t think I’ll be overly nervous. I think I’ll be a little uptight. I don’t think it will be like Michigan State or UT Chattanooga (Nov. 25 and 21). The first-game butterflies will be flowing tomorrow.”
Kansas University senior Jeff Graves chats with the media. The Jayhawks practiced Monday at Allen Fieldhouse in preparation for tonight's exhibition game against EA Sports All-Stars.
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No red-shirts: Self reiterated nobody would take a red-shirt this season. All 16 players will be eligible to play tonight.
“We haven’t talked to one person about red-shirting,” he said. “I don’t know who we would. If a guy can help you win some games this year I don’t really see why you would red-shirt him unless the fifth year would be so much better than the first or second year. We’ve got some guys who can be important to us. The question is does it come in December, January, February or when?”
Kansas University men's basketball coach Bill Self stands with members of his staff. From left are: Ben Miller, director of basketball operations; Norm Roberts, associate head coach; Self; Joe Dooley, assistant coach; Tim Jankovich, assistant coach.