If an award were handed out to the Kansas University men’s basketball player who had the most productive offseason, it’d go to : envelope please : Julian Wright.

“I’m pleased with all the guys. I think they all look good, (but) if I had to rank summers, I’d rank Julian at the top – what he was able to do and who he was able to play against,” KU coach Bill Self said of the Chicago Heights, Ill., sophomore.

The 6-foot-8 Wright, who is listed at 225 pounds after starting last season at 218, pumped iron all summer and competed against the likes of Glen “Big Baby” Davis, Malik Hairston and other college standouts at the Nike and Michael Jordan camps in Indiana and California.

“His confidence level is high. He’s improved,” Self said of Wright. “Julian still could put on some weight, and of course, Jeremy (Case, 6-1, 182-pound junior) and Brady (Morningstar, 6-3, 183-pound freshman) could put on some weight.

“For the most part, I’m pleased with the weights. Darnell’s weight, Sasha’s weight both are fine. C.J. (Giles) needs to put on some weight. All the other guys are about the right weight, though our freshmen need to get in better shape. They are behind the veterans in reporting to school in shape.”

Darnell Jackson (6-9, 250, junior) and Sasha Kaun (6-11, 246, junior) both have the same listed weights as a year ago at this time. C.J. Giles (6-10, 240, junior), Mario Chalmers (6-1, 195, sophomore) and Brandon Rush (6-6, 212, sophomore) are all five pounds heavier; Russell Robinson (6-1, 200, junior) is four pounds heavier.

Freshman Sherron Collins (5-11, 190) needs to shed some of the weight he used to his advantage as a standout high school football player, while freshman Darrell Arthur, who enters at 6-9, 220, has said his goal is to bulk up for the rigors of college ball.

Rodrick Stewart (6-4, 205, junior) is the same listed weight as a year ago, while Matt Kleinmann (6-9, 247, sophomore) has put on 10 pounds. Sophomore walk-on Brennan Bechard enters at 6-foot, 183.

The team’s scholarship sophomores – Rush, Chalmers and Wright – “all look good,” Self said.

“Some (physical improvement) is natural. They also worked at it. The big thing is a year of maturity. I don’t know how well they’ll play, but I told them: ‘Isn’t it amazing what a difference a year makes as far as being prepared and knowing what to expect?”’

During the preseason, the Jayhawks will lift weights four times a week and take the court for individual drills 40 minutes a time, three days a week with KU’s coaches in accordance with NCAA rules.

The Jayhawks also will play unsupervised pickup games three to four times a week. Those games are closed to the public and media members.

Andrea Hudy, associate director of strength and conditioning, monitors the weight lifting.

“We are a lot stronger. The guys have put in a lot of time in the weight room,” Hudy said of the returning players.

Like Self, she has been impressed with the sophomores.

“They are more mature, as people, athletes, students,” Hudy said.

And, like Self, she gives a thumbs-up to Wright’s maturation.

“I feel he has learned a lot,” she said. “He’s improved his movement, strength, balance, hand-eye coordination.”

As far as the newcomers, Hudy said: “The only expectations we have for athletes is they have a work ethic or try to learn a work ethic. All will be coming in and working hard.”

The public’s first look at the Jayhawks will be the Oct. 13 Late Night in the Phog at Allen Fieldhouse.