Rodrick Stewart hopped out of bed at 5:30 a.m. Tuesday for 6 a.m. Boot Camp conditioning drills in Allen Fieldhouse.

After a 50-minute workout and shower, the Kansas University senior basketball guard attended classes on campus from mid-morning until early afternoon.

He was back in the building for a 4:15 p.m. media interview and 4:30 p.m. pick-up game with his Jayhawk teammates.

Not appearing the least bit tired, the Seattle native revealed the reason for his boundless energy and ever-present smile on his face:

A refreshing afternoon siesta.

“Nap? Oh you have to. I took an hour nap today right before I came here,” Stewart said. “That’s what it’s all about. With Boot Camp (this week and next), we’re running all day.

“You’ve got to find time to get some rest.”

Stewart said after a good night’s sleep, he would gladly attack Day Three of Bill Self’s Basketball Boot Camp today.

“Sometimes I stay up and watch ‘Survivor Man,’ but for the most part it’s 11 o’clock. That’s the latest I get in bed. I try to be in bed by 10,” Stewart said, indicating he’d been the most prepared for this, his third Boot Camp at KU.

“I’m in the best shape I’ve been in since high school,” said the 6-foot-4 Stewart, who indicated he weighed 198 pounds, down from 213 a year ago.

“You get to the point where you do whatever it takes to help get on the court. If losing weight, getting down to less weight will help me, I say, ‘Why not do it?’

“It’s definitely showing at Boot Camp and the drills. It’s helped me in the drills.”

Stewart, who tries to eat healthy, committed himself to getting in the tip-top shape during the offseason.

“I knew I was going to have to put myself in the best position to play by being in shape. I dedicated my whole summer to that,” Stewart said. “I was introduced to boxing. I did a lot of boxing at the rec community center here,” he explained. “It really helped me shape my body up. I had a guy training me there, and we did some boxing drills here. It’s just another form of conditioning, really difficult. It helped me a lot, helped my legs a lot.

“The way I see it is you can never been in good enough shape.”

Stewart – he averaged 5.8 minutes per game in 30 games his junior season – naturally is hoping to contribute more his final campaign.

“Whatever coach Self wants me to do. I’m all about helping the team,” Stewart said. “It’s my senior year. I definitely want to go out on top. I don’t want my last game at KU to be a loss. That means we want to go all the way. I know you take it a day at a time, but it is our goal this year.”

And it all starts at Boot Camp.

Stewart has been impressed with the work of KU’s 17 players.

“I think these two days were better than the first two last year,” Stewart said. “Coach Self has been pushing us to the limit. The freshmen have come in and done well. Everybody’s been holding their own. You know there will be guys getting a little tired (during 50-minute morning workout which includes defensive slides, backboard touches and a lot of sprints).

“For the most part, we’ve been coming together as a team. It’s not about seeing who is in the best shape. It’s a team function. You pick each other up when you’re down. That’s what it’s about. You get somebody to help you, to motivate you and you go a long way, especially the last two days.”