photo by: Nick Krug

Kansas forward Carlton Bragg Jr. smiles along with head coach Bill Self after announcing his plans to return to Kansas for his sophomore year during the Kansas basketball banquet on Wednesday, April 13, 2016 at Abe and Jake's Landing.

Kansas sophomore Carlton Bragg last weekend spent a couple of days in Indianapolis, representing Kansas at the NCAA Leadership Development’s Elite Student-Athlete Symposium.

Picked for the conference on the recommendation of Fred Quartlebaum, Kansas basketball’s director of student-athlete development, Bragg participated in a handful of presentations and speeches from other student-athletes from around the country and bonded with other college basketball players there for the same reasons he was — to learn about how to better the lives of others through leadership and proper use of the platform provided to them by their chosen sport.

“Coach Q had asked me about it and I said, ‘Why not?'” Bragg said matter-of-factly. “It was gonna be a good experience for me, it was the first time they were doing it and I was like, ‘I would love to be a part of that.'”

While there, the sophomore forward from Cleveland who many believe is poised for a breakout season and is still in the process of adding pounds and inches to his already long and athletic frame, built a particular connection with Syracuse freshman Tyler Lydon, a 6-foot-8 forward from Elizaville, New York, and Memphis forward Dedric Lawson, a 6-9 native of Tennessee.

“It was like Power Point (presentations) throughout the whole day,” Bragg said. “And they just gave you (advice on) life, the next level, college, agents, it was a lot.”

While taking in loads of useful information, Bragg found himself most moved by the words shared by former Kentucky and Boston Celtics great Antione Walker, who, after a 16-year professional career that included an NBA title in 2006 and three appearances in the NBA All-Star Game, now claims to be penniless and focused on helping other young athletes in the position he once enjoyed avoid similar pitfalls.

“Antoine Walker talking (about) his whole life experience was, his whole journey.” said Bragg, asked to recall the most memorable moment of the weekend. “He gave his life as an example, like learn from it.”

T-Rob to Hollywood

The Los Angeles Lakers and former Kansas forward Thomas Robinson on Wednesday agreed to a one-year deal, making the former KU force the final player on the Lakers roster for the 2016-17 season.

Robinson joins a full roster and even more crowded frontcourt that includes fellow former Jayhawk Tarik Black, who, in July, signed a two-year, $13 million deal to stay in Los Angeles.

Since being drafted No. 5 overall in the 2012 NBA Draft, Robinson, 25, has struggled to find a consistent home, bouncing around to now his sixth team in just four years. He played with the Brooklyn Nets a season ago and averaged 4.3 points and 5.1 rebounds in 77 games.