Former KU and NBA coach Larry Brown, right, is introduced to a crowd of women during Ladies Night Out with Bill Self on Thursday, Oct. 27, 2011 at Allen Fieldhouse. Brown also participated in Self's coaches clinic on Friday.

Kansas University’s basketball team practiced for a little over two hours Friday afternoon in Allen Fieldhouse. The spirited session was much shorter than most of those conducted by former KU coach Larry Brown from 1984 to ’88.

“Today they get 20 hours of practice a week,” Hall of Famer Brown told several hundred high school, small-college and junior-college coaches during a 90-minute presentation at Bill Self’s KU coaches clinic. “When I was here, we went a long time. We went until we got it right.

“Danny said I couldn’t operate under these rules today,” Brown added with a laugh.

He was referring to KU assistant coach Danny Manning, leader of Brown’s 1988 NCAA title team.

Currently out of coaching after leaving the NBA’s Charlotte Bobcats last season, the 71-year-old Brown is a popular speaker on the camp circuit.

“I go all over the country and watch others coach,” said Brown, who lives in Philadelphia. “Turg (former KU guard Mark Turgeon) is down the street at Maryland. Calipari (John, former KU staff member) is at Kentucky. Bill is here. Tad (Boyle, former KU player under Brown) is at Colorado. With the lockout, I visit a lot of colleges to be a resource if they need me.

“I like Philly, but it’s not Lawrence,” he added.

Ninth-year KU coach Self worked as a graduate assistant on Brown’s 1986 Final Four staff at KU.

“Bill has embraced the tradition,” Brown said. “I loved the school a lot when I coached here. Since he’s been here, I love it a lot more. He’s made us all feel welcome. He keeps us all involved. You see the kids he recruits … he represents the school so well.

“I’ve been at UCLA and Kansas,” added North Carolina graduate Brown, who led the Bruins to the NCAA title game in 1980. “Not saying this just because I’m here … this place is the best because of the passion, support and respect people have. I remember we played Temple (in 1987), and John Chaney (veteran Owls coach) got a standing ovation. The respect people have for our sport and the game in Kansas is the best. When you coach here, you feel it is special.”

Brown doesn’t like one thing about college nowadays — the breaking up of leagues via realignment.

“It’s really sad,” he said. “We’ve had some incredible rivalries in the Big East go to waste. They are not thinking of the student-athlete any more. Think about some of the sports. Boise State may play at Villanova (missing extra class time for travel). It’s not right. Some rivalries in the Big 12 leaving worry me.”

Early entries

Brown was asked his take regarding so many college players leaving early for the NBA.

“You have a heck of a responsibility as a coach telling a kid who can make $8 or $9 million to come back,” Brown said. “Heaven forbid they come back and are injured. At North Carolina, coach (Dean) Smith had a rule. If you were a lottery pick, you had to come out (of school). A lot of coaches try to keep kids in school.

“Danny could have come out (after his junior year in 1987). I couldn’t tell Danny what to do. I met with him and asked him what he wanted. He said, ‘I want to be No. 1 pick in the draft, win a national championship and graduate.’ I said, ‘If you come out (as junior), I think you’ll be the No. 1 pick. You can always earn your degree, but obviously you can’t win a championship.’ He came back and got all three.”

One more day

The coaches clinic continues Saturday. Former New York Knicks and Houston Rockets coach Jeff Van Gundy will be featured speaker.

Self on Friday’s addition of West Virginia to the Big 12: “I think West Virginia is a great addition. Obviously, they bring a national name in multiple sports. And for me selfishly, I like the fact that coach Huggins (Bob, former Kansas State coach) is back in the league. I think he’ll definitely add some interest to our conference, which will be nothing but good for us.”