Obvious one-and-done Josh Jackson draws praise at Big 12 Media Day

Reporters stood at attention Tuesday afternoon as Kansas basketball coach Bill Self pretended to report some breaking news during his hour-long Big 12 Media Day interview session on the floor of the Sprint Center.

“I’ll announce to everybody … we anticipate Josh being here for nine months,” Self said, smiling, acknowledging the 6-foot-8 freshman guard’s status as an obvious one-and-done college player. “Make no mistake about it, we are not banking on him coming back his sophomore campaign.”

That’s been assumed ever since Jackson, the country’s No. 1 recruit in the Class of 2017, announced for KU last April 11.

“The good thing about Josh,” Self said in a serious tone, “is he’s unpacked his bags. Sometimes I think kids go to college but still yet their sight is on the next thing. If his sight is on the next thing, he doesn’t let anybody in Lawrence, Kansas know it.

“He wants to be a college kid, a teammate, a friend, all those things college kids go through. He’s coming in as mature and worldly as any kid we’ve ever had. He’s well beyond his years for a college freshman.”

Self said Jackson, who is projected by ESPN.com to be picked No. 3 in the 2017 NBA Draft, has lived up to the hype at practice.

“Three weeks in, I would say he is more complete than any kid we’ve ever had come through here. That is as an entering freshman,” Self said. “I don’t know we’ve had anybody who can rebound, pass, handle, shoot, defend, (show) toughness, (be) competitive, unselfish, who can think two passes ahead. Josh is right at the top.”

Jackson, the only freshman brought to Media Day by any of the 10 head coaches, said “this right here, today,” when asked what’s been his toughest moment as a college player so far.

“I think I’ve done pretty well answering the questions,” Jackson said, noting former one-and-done KU guard Andrew Wiggins warned him about what to expect at Media Day during a conversation they had on Oct. 8, after Wiggins’ Minnesota Timberwolves played Miami in a preseason NBA game at the Sprint Center.

Jackson, who’s from Detroit, said his first few weeks at KU actually were difficult.

“They came at me,” Jackson said of his teammates in pick-up games. “It’s the same everywhere. When you lose people (off last year’s team) and you know you will be working with somebody new who is doing a really important job, you’ve got to test them. I went through that stage. I think I passed.”

KU’s veterans tested Jackson “by fouling a little bit, seeing how you react, telling you to do stuff, carrying their bags. All freshmen have to do it. (I’ve) got to bite my tongue and do it. I knew it was coming.”

Jackson on Tuesday talked about everything from his long hair — “hair is little bit of an issue; we’ve got a lot of guys on the team with long hair,” he stated, indicating Self “doesn’t seem to mind” — to the “funniest” thing he’s witnessed thus far.

“So during Boot Camp, we were running. One of our teammates was throwing up in the trash can. I’m not going to drop names,” Jackson said. “The next morning we see a picture of him on the trash can throwing up on the trash can and it’s on every trash can. Some one took the picture of him and Coach Self took the picture and plastered it over every trash can in the gym.”

Jackson added that “the funniest guy on the team is (sophomore guard) Lagerald Vick. He’s hilarious the things he does at serious times. He’ll make jokes.”

Praise for Azubuike

Self praised 7-foot Udoka Azubuike, who is down to 272 pounds after losing 30 pounds since arriving on campus in June.

“He is a guy who could become a really good player. He’s also a guy who could foul out in five minutes,” Self said. “He could labor at times because everything is thrown at him so fast. He definitely has our guys’ attention without question.”

Self lauds Landen Lucas

“Landen is the best assistant coach there is, because he coaches Udoka every day,” Self said. “Udoka does something, Landen will literally walk on the floor, point and say, ‘No, ’Doke, this is where you need to be. This is why we’re doing this.’ Then he’ll remove himself right there. It’s not something we tell him to do. He’s taken great pride in getting ’Doke ready. He’s probably about as good as anybody I’ve ever been around in teaching young players. I could see him being a very good coach when he’s done playing.”

Cubs fan?

Self, who coached at the University of Illinois for three years, said he will follow the World Series between Cleveland and the Chicago Cubs closely.

“I like the Royals,” Self said. “(But) I have always liked the Cubs. I am not going to be that fair-weather fan that is jumping on the bandwagon, but I would like to see the Cubs win.”

Self led Cubs fans in “Take Me Out to the Ballgame,” during the seventh-inning stretch at Wrigley Field twice during his years as Illini coach.

“I know Wrigleyville … it’s going to be a fairly festive atmosphere Friday, Saturday and Sunday,” Self said.

Top backcourt in nation?

Self on the backcourt duo of Frank Mason and Devonté Graham: “I wouldn’t trade my guys for anybody. I don’t care who they are. I don’t think a coach could be as comfortable with their guard play as we are entering a season.”

As far as perhaps a possible nickname for the duo … “I’m sure somebody will come up with something, not ‘peanut butter and jelly.’ They do go together well.”

Coleby, Lightfoot update

Self on Mitch Lightfoot and Dwight Coleby battling for backup minutes in the frontcourt: “Both are doing fine. Dwight is still not 100 percent (recovered from ACL surgery). He’s structurally fine. He’s still dragging it a little bit. Mitch is going to be good but Mitch is young, green and doesn’t totally understand yet. It could be situations as much as anything else.”

Fast-break attack

Self was asked what “excites him most” about this team.

“I’d say speed,” he said. “It’s fun coaching fast guys. I think we’ll be able to play faster than what we have. This year we can play at a quicker clip because of the little guards.

“The backcourt is ahead of the frontcourt,” he added. “I think we have a deeper backcourt right now.”

This story was originally published October 25, 2016 at 6:15 PM with the headline "Obvious one-and-done Josh Jackson draws praise at Big 12 Media Day."