Column: Cliff Alexander doesn’t expect anything handed to him

Kansas forward Cliff Alexander (2) delivers on a jam over Texas Tech guard Robert Turner (14) during the first half on Saturday, Jan.10, 2015 at Allen Fieldhouse. Also pictured is Kansas forward Perry Ellis (34).

• Box score

It’s easy to forget that Cliff Alexander was ranked by rivals.com the fourth-best high school basketball prospect in the Class of 2014.

Drama of some sort usually accompanies prospects who arrive with that much fanfare. You know, one-and-done talk, much discussion about minutes or lack thereof and other distractions of that variety that derail talented teenagers from the most direct path to improvement.

Not so with Alexander, because he’ll have none of it. He has done a remarkable job of shrinking his basketball world. He listens to his coaches, who have been teaching basketball since not only before he first dunked in practice as an eighth-grader, but before he was born. He tries to apply what they teach him and slowly but steadily improves.

He plays as if he thinks his ranking, based largely on AAU performances, speaks only of his past, which of course it does. He’s more interested in his future and the only way to get where he wants to get is becoming a little better today, every day.

All four Kansas University freshmen made big contributions to a Saturday afternoon 86-54 blowout of Texas Tech in Allen Fieldhouse on a good day for freshmen to build confidence.

Alexander showed how productive he can be when he remembers to run the floor hard in both directions, remains active in the paint and doesn’t let his focus drift.

In 15 minutes off the bench, Alexander totaled 12 points, five rebounds and two blocked shots. He finished three lobs, two from Devonté Graham, one from Wayne Selden Jr. He also showed a nice mid-range jumper and jump hook. You start making those shots, you feel better about taking them. You feel better about taking them, and you’re going to have a better shot of making them.

“He can shoot,” Kansas coach Bill Self said. “He’s a good shooter. I don’t think he’s a three-point shooter or 18-foot shooter, but inside 16 feet he’s pretty good. … The best shot he made was the jump hook and it will look more natural as he develops it.”

In the impatient world in which we live, basketball fans are as guilty as anybody in that they want to see it all and they want to see it all now. It doesn’t work that way and Alexander knows that.

“The dunk was always there for me in high school,” he said after the game. “It’s a lot different from high school to now.”

He said he’s enjoying working on expanding his scoring options.

“It’ll be hard to guard me,” he said, meaning once he polishes the shots he’s adding. “I can knock down the elbow jumper. I just haven’t taken it. I have a nice little jump hook and I can use both of my hands for jump hooks.”

The four freshmen combined Saturday for 33 points, made 13 of 20 field goals, 3 of 6 three-pointers, picked up 14 rebounds, nine assists, three steals and three blocked shots in 67 minutes.

Kelly Oubre Jr.’s the most advanced, Sviatoslav Mykhailiuk has the highest ceiling, Graham makes the team better at both ends.

Alexander’s not interested in measuring himself against teammates or classmates playing elsewhere. He just wants to get better.

He doesn’t expect to be given anything he hasn’t earned, which is why you haven’t heard a peep out of him starting just one game so far. Guys like him don’t ask, “Why am I being treated unfairly?” They ask, “What do I need to do to get good enough to play more?”

Alexander committed four fouls Saturday, but when he was on the floor, he made good things happen. He shows flashes of brilliance in bunches, often following a blocked shot at one end with a dunk at the other, or vice versa. Once he can learn to bring it every possession the way he does after a spectacular play, he’ll make another step forward and it could be a huge one, when you least expect it.