photo by: Nick Krug

Freshman center Udoka Azubuike delivers a powerful dunk during a KU camp scrimmage on Wednesday, June 15, 2016 at the Horejsi Athletic Center.

For the past couple of seasons, Kansas forward Landen Lucas had become used to being the biggest body on the team.

That won’t be the case this season, when Lucas, the senior who started 19 games last season, gives up two inches and roughly 40 pounds to freshman center Udoka Azubuike.

“He’s a big boy,” Lucas said earlier this week following the first day of Boot Camp.

There’s a difference, though, between being a big presence and an effective big man and Lucas is hoping to help impart some of his wisdom on the rookie during his first season as a Jayhawk.

Asked exactly what he would like to see more from Azubuike, with whom he played a handful of pick-up games and camp scrimmages this summer, Lucas did not hesitate to answer.

“Using his body,” he said. “He’s such a gifted young man that if he can pick up some small things and use his body and his athletic ability, he’ll be great.”

KU coach Bill Self has marveled at Azubuike’s athleticism since the day he signed, calling him “as good a big-man prospect as there is in the country.”

Lucas agreed and said, even in his limited interaction with the Lagos, Nigeria, native, he has learned that the 7-footer could be an impact player for this Kansas team sooner rather than later.

“I wish I had some of the tools that he has,” Lucas said. “If he can just kind of learn some small things about how to use his body, how to get position and angles and stuff like that, it’s a problem that teams will either have to foul him or it’s a bucket.”

Because he signed with Kansas at age 16, Azubuike will be in Lawrence for a minimum of two seasons before he reached the minimum age requirement and becomes eligible for the NBA. Although Lucas figures to play next to him for just one of those seasons, the crafty senior said he had visions of a solid career in the making.

“I’m looking forward to seeing him develop throughout this year,” Lucas said. “He’ll be a problem (for our opponents).”

As for having to contend with Azubuike’s size each day in practice — along with the bigger frames now owned by sophomore Carlton Bragg (6-10, 245) and Liberty transfer Evan Maxwell (6-10, 235) — Lucas said he was excited about the idea of such a challenge making him an even better all-around player.

“It’s good,” he said. “It’s something that helps simulate some of the match-ups that you go through through the Big 12 and some of the tournament games. It’s good for myself and hopefully for them, too, having to work on different things against me and getting a chance to learn, like I did, from past bigs who were upperclassmen.”