Pick-up basketball games are commonplace at Kansas University in August.

But official practices?

This year marks a first.

“It’s different to be coming back to school and having big-time organization meetings,” said second-year KU coach Bill Self, who held meetings with his players and coaches Wednesday in advance of the first of 10 pre-Canada tour practice sessions tonight at Horejsi Center.

“I think they are all excited,” Self said of the 2004-05 Jayhawks, who will play exhibitions against University of British Columbia, Langara College, University College of Fraser Valley and Simon Fraser on Sept. 4-6. “This will be like spring football, getting a chance to get out there and develop.”

Unlike spring football, though, there probably won’t be an excessive amount of physical contact during the drills, which are closed to the public.

“To be honest, our practices will not be killer-type practices,” said Self, who is planning on practicing two straight days with one day off until the evening of Sept. 3, when the Jayhawks depart for Canada.

“There will be a lot of teaching. We’ll try to identify five or six things and work on those five or six things. We’ll not be detailed on all aspects of situations. It’ll be meat and potatoes, giving them things to help them and jump start them for when October comes around.”

Self said there was no sense of dread among the players in getting started so early on the season.

“If Keith (Langford), J.R. (Giddens) and Wayne (Simien) hadn’t been hurt, they’d probably be saying, ‘Oh geez, is coach going to kill us?'” Self said. “But I think since everybody has been hurt, and the other guys are newcomers, and other guys are fighting for playing time, I think it’ll be very competitive, a very spirited group.”

Langford, a senior, is coming off offseason knee surgery and Giddens, a sophomore, knee and foot surgeries. Simien, a senior, played at less than 100 percent all last season because of a groin strain.

Kansas University basketball players Jeremy Case, left, and J.R. Giddens horse around after receiving their letter jackets. The ceremony for all athletes took place Wednesday at Horejsi Center. The KU men's basketball team will open its pre-Canada tour practices today.

Meanwhile, six new players join a team that returns four starters, 81.5 percent of its scoring and 73.1 percent of its rebounding.

“Everybody will practice. Everybody may not play in the games because of the possibility of red-shirting (players),” Self said. “You can’t red-shirt if you play in the games.

“A lot will depend on how they do,” he said of deciding which player or players will red-shirt this season. “This is a good deal for us, to have training camp and get an idea of where we are and depth charts.”

Self envisions a team that will play an exciting style of basketball.

“This year you will see more pressure. I think we can pressure more than we did a year ago,” said Self, who has more depth on paper. “I think we can play faster than last year. It will not be breakneck speed. You still need to score in the halfcourt game. Good teams do not give up easy baskets.”

• Staff update: Self has one new member of the coaching staff this year, Kurtis Townsend, who coached at the University of Miami last year. Townsend takes over for Norm Roberts, who is head coach at St. John’s.

Danny Manning, last year’s director of student/athlete development, is director of basketball operations, taking over for Ben Miller, now an assistant at Southwest Missouri State. Brett Ballard moves up from student assistant to administrative assistant. He takes over for Sean Harrington, now director of basketball operations at Northern Illinois.

• Recruiting update: Tyler Hansbrough, a 6-foot-9 power forward from Poplar Bluff, Mo., has changed the time of his news conference to 5:30 p.m. Monday at his high school. He is expected to choose North Carolina over Kansas, Missouri and Kentucky.

Jeff Adrien, a 6-6 forward from Brookline, Mass., Wednesday committed to Connecticut over runnerup Pittsburgh. Adrien at one time had Kansas on his list of schools.