Torn ACL!!!

Those terms immediately flashed on my radar last Saturday. Hot-dogging Julian Wright of Kansas University had just butchered a breakaway dunk and lay on the basketball court like a piece of crumpled aluminum foil.

He was holding something and grimacing, though that was more a sympathy-seeking gesture than a reaction to pain. He knew he was gonna get it from everybody; he didn’t underestimate the ridicule and derision.

But to heck with the two points Big Julie didn’t get against Colorado, and all the zingers he had to absorb. Had Wright ripped the anterior cruciate ligament a la Bill Walker of Kansas State – and much earlier, Danny Manning of KU and the LA Clippers?

Such can happen so innocently and unexpectedly in seemingly benign cases. Wright came down hard, and if nobody else was terrified, I was. KU needs this kid at his best to maximize its vast potential. KSU’s Walker ripped a knee on a modest maneuver. Manning, after a brilliant college and Olympic stretch, came down with a routine rebound and bent his hinge the wrong way. Not Julian, please!

I contend to this day Manning’s first of three serious knee problems resulted from overuse in 1988 – demanding national championship college grind, ferocious Olympic death march under John Thompson, then straight to the NBA. Danny played only 26 games for LA in 1988-89; continuing knee problems forced him to become a part-time pro in ’96 after two more surgeries. It was so sad that Danny never had his complete capabilities to prove how great he could be.

Even so, he played all or parts of 15 seasons with the Clippers, Atlanta, Phoenix, Milwaukee, Utah, Dallas and Detroit. He averaged 22.8 points to make the all-star teams in ’93 and ’94, and in ’97-’98 was chosen the NBA sixth man of the year with Phoenix. His 15-season pro scoring average was more than 14 points, but just imagine the swath he could have cut with good knees.

Was Wright suddenly doomed to such a fate; will KSU’s Walker overcome a second serious knee blowout? Walker’s optimistic, and the great thing is that Wright is hale and hearty. His ego got a massive bruising, but he’s still the way KU needs him to be.

¢A number of KU’s ’52 NCAA and Olympic champions will be here the Feb. 17 Nebraska weekend, a 55th reunion. Death has claimed Dean Kelley, John Keller and Jerry Albers. At present those likely to return are Clyde Lovellette, Bob Kenney, Bill Hougland, Bill Lienhard, Charlie Hoag, Al Kelley, Dean Smith, Everett Dye, Bill Heitholt and manager Wayne Louderback. Sadly, the health of some guys rules out visits. Coach Phog Allen died in 1974.

They have Friday and Saturday night get-togethers, some may attend Friday’s practice, and they’ll sit behind the Jayhawk bench at the game.

This is also the 50th anniversary of KU’s titanic triple-overtime battle with North Carolina in the title game, won 54-53 by UNC. Despite the five-year difference, the ’57 team has lost more guys than the ’52 crew. Gone are Wilt Chamberlain, Gene Elstun, John Parker, Bob Billings and Lew Johnson (a pretty good starting five), along with coach Dick Harp.

The two surviving ’57 starters are Ron Loneski and Maurice King. Five of the seven who played in the UNC showdown are gone.

Hougland, Lienhard and Al Kelley have orchestrated the ’52 gathering. Haven’t heard about any bashes for the ’57 squad.