photo by: Nick Krug

Kansas Jayhawks forward Perry Ellis (34) gets to the bucket past Maryland forward Robert Carter (4) during the first half, Thursday, March 24, 2016 at KFC Yum! Center in Louisville, Kentucky.

It’s been a big week for former Kansas basketball greats and Halls of Fame, with Nick Collison and Perry Ellis both receiving career honors in the past seven days.

Last weekend was Ellis’ turn, as the former KU forward and native Kansan was inducted into the Kansas State High School Activities Association Hall of Fame during a ceremony at the state track meet in Wichita.

Ellis, who hails from Wichita, and left KU as the program’s No. 8 all-time scorer (1,798 points), enjoyed unprecedented success during his high school days at Wichita Heights.

A four-time Kansas Gatorade Player of the Year and four-time starter and state champion, the four-time all-state selection also was class valedictorian.

At KU, Ellis became one of the most effective and efficient scoring forwards in school history. In addition to leading the Jayhawks in scoring during his final two seasons, Ellis also finished as the program’s No. 12 all-time rebounder and earned multiple all-Big 12 and All-American honors along the way.

Collison’s honor came late this week, when it was announced that he and 12 others would be inducted into the Kansas Hall of Fame later this year.

Like Ellis, Collison, the Iowa Falls, Iowa, native, also was inducted into the Iowa State High School Activities Association’s Hall of Fame in recent years and he also recently had his jersey retired by the Oklahoma City Thunder following a 14-year NBA career with the franchise.

Collison’s time at Kansas was full of honors and big moments. After earning McDonald’s All-American honors during his senior year of high school, the power forward went on to earn dozens more individual honors during his four-year career at Kansas.

Included among them were a multiple all-Big 12 honors and a consensus All-American selection in 2003. Collison helped lead KU to back-to-back Final Fours in 2002 and 2003 and ended his Kansas career as the Big 12’s all-time leader in scoring and rebounding.

The induction ceremony for the 13-member 2019 class, which also features former KU standout swimmer Tammy Thomas Ammons, will be held on Oct. 6, 2019, at the Kansas Star Casino, located at 777 Casino Drive, Mulvane, KS, 67110.

The Kansas Sports Hall of Fame, which soon will have 297 inductees, is in its 58th year of operation and is located at the Wichita Boathouse.

Ellis, who has enjoyed a professional career overseas with teams in Italy, Australia, Germany and Turkey, since leaving KU, is planning to play in this summer’s $2 million event known as The Tournament for a team called “Self Made,” made up of former Jayhawks and put together by Elijah Johnson.

Johnson finalized the “Self Made” roster this week and the nine-man squad now includes: Ellis, Johnson, Kevin Young, Mario Little, Travis Releford, Tyshawn Taylor, Landen Lucas and the two newest members of the squad, Darrell Arthur and Darnell Jackson.

The 64-team tournament is slated to take place this July, with Self Made likely playing opening-round games in Wichita.

Collison, meanwhile, is lining up what to do with life after professional basketball and continues to spend time in the Lawrence and Kansas City areas.