Let the fun begin

Self excited to develop young, athletic Jayhawks

Bill Self posed for the 2005-06 Kansas University men’s basketball team photo midday Thursday, then broke into a trot and headed through the northwest tunnel of Allen Fieldhouse and into the adjacent parking garage.

He returned smiling brightly an hour later, just a minute or two late for his Media Day interview with 50 or so reporters.

“I chipped a tooth. I’m going to the dentist,” said Self, racing past a reporter.

KU’s third-year coach stressed biting on his pen cap so hard it took a “little bitty chip” out of a front tooth had NOTHING to do with being nervous about starting a new season with basically a new cast of featured players.

“I’m real excited about this group. We realize it’ll take awhile, and we’ll have some ups and downs,” said an upbeat Self, who lost four starters off last year’s 23-7 co-Big 12 Conference championship team. “This team is athletic, long, and certainly, on paper, has maybe some strengths moreso than our last two teams.”

While everybody is interested in seeing KU’s Fab Four freshmen – Mario Chalmers, Micah Downs, Brandon Rush and Julian Wright – compete at tonight’s Late Night in the Phog (6:30, Allen Fieldhouse), Self said two standouts emerged the past two weeks in individual drills and two-hour team workout sessions: sophomore big men C.J. Giles and Sasha Kaun.

Giles, who arrived last year on campus as a 6-foot-10, 218-pounder, now weighs 245. Kaun is 6-11, 245, about the same as he weighed last year, but is more solid.

“If you ask any of our guys to rate our guys 1-14, the majority would put C.J. and Sasha one and two,” Self said. “They are probably the two most improved guys on our team from last year. They are more confident, their bodies look great, they like contact, and both have improved their ability to score.”

Also improved in Self’s eyes is soph guard Russell Robinson.

“He is probably the most consistent perimeter player we’ve had since school started,” Self said of the point guard/shooting guard. “He is like a machine – best in the weight room, works on his game as much as anyone. He wants it really bad. He wasn’t happy how last year ended. He’s working hard to make sure that doesn’t happen again.”

As far as the talked-about rookies, Self believes they can handle expectations – especially late addition Rush, who replaces transferred wing J.R. Giddens.

“There’s reasons expectations will be high for him,” Self said, noting not only is Brandon Rush the brother of former K.C. prep standouts Kareem and JaRon, but “people projected him to be in the NBA 12 months ago. There’s a reason he’s not. The reason is he has to get better. Expectations will be high and may be unfair. He is a big boy. He can handle it.”

Mario Chalmers is expected to replace Aaron Miles at the point, but the Alaska freshman could receive stiff competition from Jeff Hawkins, another player Self lauded Thursday.

“It’d be easier for (Chalmers) if he had (Kirk) Hinrich, (Nick) Collison, (Drew) Gooden and (Jeff) Boschee (like Miles did as a freshman to work with) playing next to him. They were proven,” Self said. “Whoever is point guard this year … there will be pressure for him to deliver.”

Self hasn’t decided on a starting lineup but hopes to settle on a rotation of eight or nine players and wants the team to run – music to the ears of KU fans who have grumbled for a quicker pace.

“I hope we are sound enough we can really pressure and force tempo on both ends,” said Self, who indicated he could “play two big guys and three little guys some; one center with two wings and two little guys; or a point guard, three tall wings and a center.”

“If we are not sound defensively, it’s hard to press. I think we can push the ball moreso than past years. I think it best suits our personnel.

“Last year, regardless of what anybody thinks or says, I thought it was a pretty good option Wayne (Simien) touched it every possession. Sometimes you run, run, run (and) Wayne gets tired. Wayne didn’t help us win games sitting next to the coaches.”

As far as playing time and who might sit next to the coaches … Self said, “It’ll be hard to get to nine to be honest with you because there’s probably more than nine who deserve to play.

“If we play like I want to play and they play 25 minutes a game, they’ll be gassed and asking to come out.

“If we play the right way, we can utilize nine guys and keep ’em all happy. If some of our newcomers aren’t in our top nine, then you could have some issues. It’s up to them if they play their way into it.”