When someone first asked me, all I could do was laugh.

I would participate in walk-on tryouts for the Kansas University men’s basketball team and write about it.

But the more I thought about it, I figured, why not?

Sure, I might not be the best basketball player. But I am eligible to try.

I am a current KU student, enrolled in classes and willing to help the team’s grade-point average.

But, after thinking about it, I found there was a way I could get a head start on all my competition by doing something I was already good at: I could out-study them.

If you are behind in classes, you can always start studying early for the exam.

I decided to do the same for this, the biggest test of my life.

In the following days, I will report what I learned from some of the best basketball minds on campus during my preparation for Sunday’s walk-on tryout.

Today’s talk is with assistant coach Tim Jankovich, who oversees the walk-on tryout for the Jayhawks. He should know how to prepare.

Kansas University assistant men's basketball coach Tim Jankovich watches tape of Journal-World sports writer Jesse Newell playing basketball for his intramural team. Newell will compete during KU's walk-on tryouts, keeping track of his journey from the beginning to Sunday's tryout in each day's J-W Sports section.

First impression

This is it. This is my chance to make an impression on the man who decides which walk-ons, if any, make the cut.

With a videotape under my arm, I take a deep breath and enter the spacious office, hoping to make a first impression before any other students have the chance.

Jankovich shakes my hand and, seeing my tape, offers to take a look.

He pops a Maryland tape out of the VCR, and, with my hand shaking, I slowly insert my Pearson Hall intramural team video.

And there I was on the screen. Firing passes inside. Shooting hook shots that only hit glass. Dribbling with primarily my right hand.

Still, the final assessment isn’t TOO bad.

“I thought the passing – there were some needles threaded, without question,” Jankovich tells me. “Some very good assists. Your passing rated pretty highly on that film. You made some nice passes.”

I smile proudly – for about two seconds. That’s when the conversation turns to my dribbling.

“I’m not saying you can’t go right and left equal,” coach says, “but from what I have to evaluate, I’m nervous about that.”

Yeah, coach. Me too.

Scoring not vital

It was time to get to the tough questions – the ones I needed answered to best prepare myself for tryouts.

I know everybody thinks they have to score a jillion points in tryouts to make the team. But Jankovich says he’s not even looking for a Wilt Chamberlain from the tryouts.

“Even if a guy scored 100, it might not impact his chances of being on our team,” he says. “We’re looking for guys that will make us better by the way they practice.”

Hmmm. So what does stand out then?

“Out-of-the-ordinary effort and drive and intensity,” he says. “Someone who we feel could add energy to a practice or a shootaround.”

Hey, I might have a shot. Those are all things I can do.

It’s time to plug myself – to let Jankovich know the things I want him to know about me before the tryout.

OK, I’m actually 5-foot-10 and not 5-foot-8, as my physical suggests. This very well could be the same person that measured Wayne Simien at 6-7 without shoes.

“Have you looked into a lawsuit against this doctor?” he asks me.

I got the physical from your team doctor, coach.

“Well,” he replies, “then don’t look into it.”

At this point he tells me a secret – a way I can stand out above other walk-ons.

“Anything over 6-foot-8 is a help when a guy tries out,” he says. “Six-foot-eight is a real attention-getter.”

They have some procedures to help you with that, coach. I can have a doctor break my legs and make me grow.

“Absolutely, and it might be worth looking into,” he says. “I’d rather you do that than sue our doctors. I’m totally backing off that one.”

I look down, silently knowing this is my last year of eligibility and there is no way this surgery can be done in one month. I hide my disappointment and continue on.

Smart, though

I tell Jankovich about my strong grades, and he believes this is important.

“Whether you make the team or not, I don’t see you playing basketball 20 years from now,” he tells me, in a tone somewhere between a high school counselor and father figure. “I don’t know that you could last that long in the NBA or overseas. Let’s say you only lasted 10 years playing for money, then just think how important it is to be making good grades now.”

If I were a recruit, I would commit right now to Kansas.

I bring up my enthusiasm for Jayhawk basketball, and Jankovich tells me I’m on a roll after a tough start.

I ask him where I started wrong.

“The 5-8 didn’t help,” he says. “I didn’t think that helped out much.”

With time running out, I know I must ask the question that’s been on my mind the whole time.

Coach, I’ve come a long way to see you. Just give it to me straight. What are the chances of a coach like you and a player like me being together on the same team?

He pauses, then gives his honest answer.

“As far as making the team, I think that’s going to be difficult,” he says. “But you can’t measure heart.”

So, like, one-in-a-million, coach?

“I don’t want to paint you with a brush. I don’t want to throw a number on you. I really don’t,” he says. “But one in a million is definitely a number. It’s a number to think about.”

So you’re telling me there’s a chance, coach. You’re telling me there’s a chance.