Brandon Rush dashed down a Wal-Mart aisle Thursday night, searching for a hard-to-locate item.

“I need to find a crock pot. She wants a crock pot,” said Rush, one of 14 Kansas University basketball players, plus student assistant Moulaye Niang, out shopping for 15 needy families — in freshman Rush’s case, a mother and her children.

Rush’s mission was to purchase several hundred dollars’ worth of Christmas gifts as part of the KU Basketball Santa’s Helpers drive in conjunction with the Salvation Army.

The Jayhawks were using money provided by the local Roundball Club and anonymous donors, plus four Jayhawk clubs throughout the state.

Ex-Jayhawk Roger Morningstar, who oversees the project, was on hand, as well as KU’s coaches and some of the coaches’ wives, helping the players move through the checkout line while purchasing the goodies.

“This is one of my favorite things to do, one of my favorite things about the Christmas holiday,” KU senior Christian Moody said, resisting the temptation to purchase “Buck the Animated Trophy” for the dad on his shopping list, settling instead on a fishing rod and reel.

“It’s so much fun. It’s fun seeing what our teammates are picking out for other people and really fun to help out in the community. I got lucky. I have five people to shop for this year — three little kids and two parents. One year I only had two people.

“Hopefully, if the parents give these things to their kids on Christmas morning, they’ll wake up and have big smiles with lots of presents under the tree.”

Oh, there were lots of presents loaded into the Jayhawks’ carts Thursday.

Freshman Micah Downs started his shopping spree in the women’s clothing section, sampling some slippers for a 49-year-old woman.

“This is crazy,” Downs said, placing some pink fuzzy shoes in his cart.

Niang had some Rapid Fire army toys in his possession, while C.J. Giles, with the help of Mario Chalmers’ mother, inspected a coffee maker, complete with cups.

Julian Wright rifled through CDs in the music section, while Stephen Vinson stuck to the sports genre, picking out a football for a youngster.

Rodrick Stewart, meanwhile, tried to sneak past coach Bill Self with a sole item in his possession — a pink Care Bear.

“Hey Rod, you’re supposed to be shopping for other people, not yourself,” Self said, needling the sophomore.

KU’s coach said he enjoys watching his players give to others.

• 6Sports video: Jayhawks take to the shopping aisles (12-16-05)
• 6Sports video: Wright has all the right moves (12-16-05)
• Photo Gallery: Jayhawks shop for gifts
• Santa’s helpers (12-16-05)
• Stewart’s KU debut contingent on grades (12-16-05)
• Spodcasters: Vanilla Vinson
• Kansas roster and bios
• KU basketball schedule
• Sign up for cell phone updates
• Sign up for e-mail updates

“It’s a great deal for the families, but also great for our players. Our players are blessed. We are all blessed in so many ways,” Self said. “A lot of times you take things for granted. This is an opportunity for them to take pride in doing something for somebody else. I think they get as much out of it as the recipient of the gifts.”

And they did the shopping as finals week comes to a close today.

“It’s a busy week. Most of the guys are finished with their finals. We’ve got a couple with tests tomorrow,” Self said. “It’s not going to hurt them to get away an hour and a half, a break in the study routine.”

“I feel I’ve been studying all week. This is an awesome break from studying,” Moody concluded.

The Jayhawks also will likely serve food for community members at some point next semester and will hold a clinic for Special Olympians at a still to be determined date.

“We’ve got several things going on in addition to studies, practice and playing in games,” Self said.