Bill Self’s Basketball Boot Camp has lived up to its billing as far as Kansas University newcomer Kevin Young is concerned.

“It’s just as hard as they were saying,” Young, a 6-foot-8 junior forward from Perris, Calif., said of teammates who warned him that preseason conditioning drills would be exceedingly difficult.

The Jayhawks gathered at 6 a.m. last Monday through Friday, and, after taking the weekend off, continued each morning this week.

“I like to run so that part hasn’t been too bad. Just mentally … it’s been a test of knowing where I’m supposed to be at all times and kind of push my teammates to get through it as well,” Young added.

The Jayhawks are expected to be on time for morning sprints, defensive slides and backboard touches, as well as afternoon weightlifting and pick-up games, classes on campus and tutoring in the evenings.

“I think everybody’s been doing well,” Young said. “We’re all staying together as a group during the running. I think it’s building team chemistry. We are talking a lot more, which is good. It’s building us up for the season. We’ll be excited when it’s over because that’s when the season really starts.”

The Jayhawks will have the weekend and next week to taper. The 2011-12 season kicks off for real at the 27th-annual Late Night in the Phog, set for a 6:30 p.m. start Friday, Oct. 14 in Allen Fieldhouse.

Self’s clinic: Larry Brown and Jeff Van Gundy will be featured speakers at the 2011 Bill Self Kansas Basketball Coaches Clinic, set for Oct. 28-29 in Allen Fieldhouse.

Brown, who is a member of the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame, served as KU’s coach from 1984-88. He directed the Jayhawks to the ’88 national title and compiled an overall record of 135-44. He also coached two seasons at UCLA.

He spent 23 seasons as a head coach in the NBA.

Van Gundy spent 10 seasons as an NBA head coach, amassing a 430-318 record from 1996-2007. From 1996-2002, he was the head coach of the Knicks and from 2004-07 was head coach of the Rockets. His teams advanced to the playoffs in eight of his 10 seasons, including the Knicks’ Eastern Conference championship in 1999. New York fell to San Antonio in the NBA Finals.

The clinic begins at 3 p.m., Friday, Oct. 28, with registration starting at 2 p.m. Cost of the clinic is $60 for those who pre-register and $70 for those who register at the gate. Information is available at billselfbasketballcamp.com.