LJWorld.com

Cole Aldrich nearly lost his breakfast during his first Kansas University basketball Boot Camp experience in Allen Fieldhouse.

"Yes, once or twice, but I didn't. Chase was 4-for-4 - the first four days. After that he was fine," Aldrich, KU's 6-foot-11, 245-pound sophomore center, said, laughing.

He was referring to walk-on Chase Buford, who, like many freshmen before him, wound up falling sick during two weeks of preseason conditioning workouts held at the crack of dawn.

Boot Camp 2008 - the second for Buford and Aldrich - begins at 6 a.m. today and will conclude a week from Friday. Players get the weekend off.

Though a year older and wiser, Aldrich says he's not looking forward to morning sprints, defensive slides and backboard touches; afternoon weightlifting and individual drills; and nighttime tutoring sessions.

"I have to be ready whether I like it or not. It's one of the things that's part of the process. It helps us be the best team we can be," Aldrich said. "There's no way to condition yourself for the season unless you start with 22s (a series of timed sprints up and down the court). It's not fun. It's tough. But it's all mental. It makes you better."

Boot Camp, in theory, should be a bit easier on the Jayhawks this year. Remember, the 2008-09 Jayhawks had 10 days of practice in August - including some at sunrise - leading to three exhibition games in Canada.

"I really think this, if we complete the first few days, it'll be a success," KU coach Bill Self said. "These young guys don't have any idea. That's not being negative. How could they know? We don't have very many old guys to show them (seven newcomers) the way.

"I think they'll do fine. I think they'll try hard. It will be hard for them. There is a mental toughness they will have to have to get through it."

Sophomore Conner Teahan has tried to warn the newcomers what is ahead.

"It's all mental. You have to think you can get through it. If you think you can get through it, you will," Teahan said.

Juco transfer Mario Little has heard stories of Boot Camp. "I heard it's tough. The last two days are very tough," Little said. "Running is something I don't like, but I know I have to do it and get through it."

Self said all 15 players will participate. Sherron Collins, who is coming off offseason knee surgery, will take part in all the drills. Little, who has taken a few weeks off to heal a stress fracture in his left leg, will do some of the drills.

"Mario will not participate fully with everything because his leg is still sore," Self said. "We'll be cautious with that. It depends on how he feels. He's still on target (to be 100 percent by Oct. 17 Late Night)."

Collins played in just one of three games in Canada.

"Sherron is doing fine. I would say physically he feels as well as he has in a long time," Self said. "For him to do what we need him to do this year, he will have to be the best-conditioned player in our league because he will take more shots than anybody in our league.

"He will have to spearhead our defense. When I'm talking about conditioning, I'm not putting him down at all," Self added of the 5-11, 200-pound junior. I just want him to be the guy who doesn't fatigue and wear out. We're going to ask him to do an awful lot."

Like put up more than a dozen shots per contest.

"I don't know if he'll get 20 off, (but) I really believe he can attempt in that 18-range average for the year," Self said. "If he does that and makes half of them, you are looking at a guy who averages 22 (points) a game. You've got to be in great shape to be able to get your own shot like he'll have to. Defenses will be designed to stop him."