_Each week, KUSports.com will get you caught up on Jayhawks both former and current getting some ink from outside of the area._San Antonio Express-News: Vaughn comfortable as mentor_The first week of Spurs training camp has been an opportunity for untested point guards Anthony Lever-Pedroza and Darius Washington to showcase their skills. With Tony Parker being held out of most of the scrimmages to give a sore ankle time to heal and an overworked body time to rest, and with Beno Udrih wearing a cast on his broken right hand, the two youngsters have received plenty of repetitions as they try to learn the complicated offense.__They have had a good on-court mentor in Jacque Vaughn, a player whom coach Gregg Popovich believes will go straight to a coaching career after his playing days are over. After one season with the Spurs, Vaughn feels he has learned the system well enough to explain it to any player at any position, including impressionable point guards.__”I’m very comfortable with the system,” Vaughn said after the Spurs’ final practice of their first week of camp, “to a level where I can almost sit down with each individual on the team and explain what we’re trying to do offensively and defensively at each position, whether it’s knowing what Timmy (Duncan) is supposed to do on this play, or what Manu (Ginobili) is supposed to do on that play. I’ve always prided myself on that, and I think I’m getting to that point here.”__The Spurs signed Vaughn to a free-agent contract on July 12, 2006, and he went into last season as something of a safety valve at the point. But during the second half of the season he supplanted Udrih as Parker’s primary backup. During the 20-game playoff run that produced the Spurs’ fourth title, he averaged 10.6 minutes playing behind NBA Finals MVP Parker.__Vaughn re-signed for two years and $5 million in early July. Even if Udrih had not suffered an injury, Vaughn figured to enter the regular season in the same role._Local Take: Vaughn has had himself a better NBA career than many who enter the league in terms of length. I would expect that two-year deal he signed this summer to be his last. But, man, what a great way to go into retirement, huh?New Orleans Times-Picayune: Rookies have duties_Every day this week rookies Julian Wright and Adam Haluska have been assigned to breakfast duty.__They don’t cook, but Wright brings the doughnuts; Haluska brings bran muffins for the Hornets’ veterans.__This is the side of training camp, the fans don’t see: The rookies not only have to earn their spot in the rotation, they also must carrying bags on road trips. And before camp ends, they’re going have to sing in front of their teammates and coaches.__So what happens if Wright forgot to bring his box of doughnuts or Haluska brought spoiled milk instead of muffins?__”If they miss one day, they’ll get popcorn inside their cars until they get it right,” guard Bobby Jackson said. “We all went through the same stuff when we were rookies.”_Local Take: If Wright keeps rebounding at the rate he has in the last two preseason games (9 boards Tuesday, 10 on Wednesday), his donut-run time may be cut short.Chicago Sun-Times: Bulked-up Hinrich says legs ready to go_Point guard Kirk Hinrich is listed in the Bulls’ preseason guide at 190 pounds, the same as he weighed last training camp.__But Hinrich is noticeably more muscled in his upper body. Hinrich, who was married in July, had much more time to work out after passing on the chance to play for Team USA for a second consecutive summer.__”Last year’s summer was brutal,” said Hinrich, whose commitment included a six-week stint in Asia for the FIBA World Championships. “It wasn’t brutal at the time, but it was just the grind of last summer, then the season. I felt like at times I didn’t have my legs. I had a horrible summer as far as lifting and getting my body ready.__”Not playing this summer really helped. My legs feel about as fresh as they have in a long time.”__As much as coach Scott Skiles thinks summer basketball benefits players, he believes Hinrich will benefit from a less rigorous regimen the last few months.__”It’s hard to envision his] minutes going down,” Skiles said of Hinrich, who averaged 35.5 minutes last season, third-highest on the team. “He’s logged a lot of minutes [11,229] in his young career already, and we’ve asked him to do an awful lot. Unfortunately for him, he’s had to guard bigger guards since he stepped foot in the league — guard them in the post and chase them around — and then have the burden of running the offense all the time. So it wears on him.__”But he’s definitely added some strength. I hope we look back later in the season and can say the summer was good rest for him. He worked hard, but he didn’t have to play.”_Local Take: We linked to basically another version of this story [a week ago, but it’s good to see that Hinrich used the time to strengthen his upper body. He’s continually progressed physically despite signing his big contract last summer. That’s a good sign for Bulls fans.Palm Beach Post: Simien could help tremendously_Power forward Wayne Simien would do the Heat a huge favor by simply staying healthy and delivering on his first-round draftee status.__Simien, one of the nicest guys you’ll ever meet as well as being a talented player, has been sidelined by a combination of salmonella and a veteran roster during his first two seasons. But if he could be a solid backup for Udonis Haslem it would allow Miami to play Antoine Walker at small forward more, solving a backup problem at that position.__Right now, Walker is the primary backup at both forward positions, and depending on how small forward Dorell Wright performs in training camp Walker could start at small forward. Remember, he was the playoff starter when Miami made its title run in 2006.__The way the roster stands now, however, a good year from Simien is one of the top priorities from the Heat’s reserves and would help alleviate Miami’s perceived talent shortage._Local Take: It’s been a great summer for Simien, with the birth of his child, taking a course at Stanford to prepare for life after basketball and doing plenty of work in the community. Though now it’s time to focus on hoops for the third-year forward. The third year is big for any NBA youngster in earning a new contract. Here’s hoping he can stay healthy and get close to the form he showed as a KU senior.Mel Kiper – ESPN Insider: Top 5 seniors/juniors by position_Cornerbacks_ _1. Malcolm Jenkins, Ohio St._ _2. Reggie Smith, Oklahoma_ _3. Aqib Talib, Kansas_ _4. Justin King, Penn State_ _5. Brandon Flowers, Virginia Tech_Local Take: When it comes to NFL prospects, Mel Kiper is the man who knows more than most. Afterall, he predicted NFL success for Tony Romo on draft day a few years ago when no one else had even heard of the guy. Talib’s fast start to the season has obviously put him on the radars of many. Now he’s got to stay strong throughout Big 12 play. If he does that, prepare to silently wave farewell to Talib, a junior, as well on senior day (Nov. 17 against Iowa State).