Whether it’s working as counselors at basketball camps of Kansas University coach Bill Self or Washburn’s Bob Chipman, going to class, lifting weights and/or playing in pick-up games, the Jayhawks have had one major goal in mind for the month of June.

That’s the building of team unity.

“In the summertime, that’s when the team becomes closer, and that’s what we’re doing is becoming closer,” KU sophomore guard Mario Chalmers said. “We’re trying to treat each other like family, like brothers. Right now it’s really helping us, and I think that’s going to help us in the season, too.”

Chalmers, as well as his dad, Ronnie, and several other Jayhawk players, coaches and athletic department members, were in Allen Fieldhouse and Horejsi Center on Friday night, working as counselors at Self’s two-day parent/child camp.

Former Jayhawks Aaron Miles, Michael Lee and Moulaye Niang also were on hand teaching more than 100 youths and their parents the fundamentals of basketball.

The camp concludes today with most of the Jayhawks set to be in town just one more week before heading to their hometowns for the month of July.

Of course, Chalmers now lives in Lawrence with his parents, who moved here a year ago after Ronnie was named KU’s director of basketball operations.

“Summer No. 1, I really didn’t know what to expect,” Mario Chalmers said. “Coming in here as a freshman, being a fresh face, I really didn’t know what was going on. Summer No. 2 is really helping me. I know what’s going on, and everybody is really helping me. I’m just taking in all that I can.”

He’s way ahead of last summer mentally and physically.

“I’ve put on a lot of weight,” the 6-foot-1, 190-pound guard said. “Coach has really told me I needed to get stronger, and coach Hudy (Andrea, strength coach) has really been working with me. I think I’ve put on seven or eight pounds of muscle.

“I think it’s really going to help me out this year. If I get stronger, it’s going to make me a better player. You’ve just got to measure yourself to see what you can hold and what you can’t hold.”

Of parts of his game he’s worked on, Chalmers noted: “Just my shooting and my defense and trying to find where the freshmen like the ball. I know if you get the freshmen the ball at the right place, they can score. We’ve got a lot of good scorers on the team, so that’s really going to help.”

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Polls: KU is ranked No. 2 in the country in a pair of summertime polls. Andy Katz of espn.com has the Jayhawks right behind Florida as does Jeff Goodman of foxsports.com.

“It’s good for us. We’ve got our names on the map and people are noticing us,” Chalmers said. “We’ve just got to keep continuing to get better and keep working hard. That’s what’s going to help us out.”

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Nice visit: Former KU guard Miles says he’s enjoyed spending more than a week in Lawrence this summer. He played for both the Golden State Warriors and Fort Worth Flyers of the NBADL last past season.

“It’s great to be back, being able to come around here and be around the fellas again is great,” said Miles, also able to spend quality time with his best friend, Lee, who next week leaves for Europe to continue his stint with the Harlem Globetrotters.

Miles was asked what advice he’d give members of the 2006-07 KU team.

“The only thing I can say is, handle your business in the classroom and on the court,” he said. “Work hard on that court when you are out there. As long as you push each other and have talent, you’ll be successful.”

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USC woes: Southern California junior guard Gabe Pruitt, who averaged 16.9 points a game last season while making first-team all-Pac 10, is academically ineligible for the fall semester and figures to miss the game against KU on Dec. 4 at Allen Fieldhouse. The 6-4 Pruitt hopes to rejoin the squad in mid-December. : Also, USC sophomore forward RouSean Cromwell (4.2 ppg) will have surgery next week to remove irritated scar tissue from his left knee, the Los Angeles Times reports. Senior center Abdoulaye N’diaye (5.3 ppg) underwent surgery May 26 to remove a cyst from his right knee. Both are expected to be ready for the start of practice.