Bill Self’s ‘Cats’ returned to Allen Fieldhouse. Why that was a big deal Saturday
Bill Self loves Frank Mason, so it was only natural to tease him a bit through the media after Kansas’ 78-53 victory over West Virginia.
Because it was NBA All-Star weekend, many former players made their way back to Allen Fieldhouse for Saturday afternoon’s game.
Mason wasn’t one.
“Frank had to go to the Bahamas, I guess,” Self said with a grin. “He needed a break in the action. But everybody else wanted a vacation in Lawrence.”
Self was joking, but at the same time, he brought up a good point.
NBA guys only get a few days to themselves during their eight-month marathon seasons. There are plenty of places to go, and also an endless number of beaches available.
Devonté Graham and Svi Mykhailiuk — along with teammate Malik Newman — chose to spend that time in Lawrence though, flying to a place with inches of snow and wind chills in the single digits.
“I think they were just more excited to be here than we were to even play in a game,” forward Dedric Lawson said with a smile.
Saturday had to be a refreshing moment — for KU coaches, players and even fans who’d been through the rigors of this season with them.
This year has often been a grind with story lines that have lingered on without clear resolutions. Silvio De Sousa’s eligibility. Lagerald Vick’s status. And also the recurring questions about potential future NCAA violations following a federal trial related to college basketball corruption last fall.
This KU team also hasn’t always been fun to watch. There were times when no one seemed to be a leader, and moments when guys were trying hard while still not completely committed to play for each other.
Saturday provided a bit of relief from all that.
The Jayhawks communicated on defense and suffocated West Virginia’s shorthanded roster. They shared the ball on offense, driving often with the intention of freeing up a teammate for a layup or three.
KU looked like a top-10 version of itself again, and the crowd roared its approval. Not only that, ESPN’s TV cameras often found Graham and Newman behind KU’s bench, holding up three fingers to celebrate outside shots and shouting in satisfaction after team-first plays.
“How much this place has done for them ... they appreciate this place,” Lawson said. “It’s a special, special place.”
The joy wasn’t contained behind the bench. Graham was his normal enthusiastic self in the locker room, according to KU’s players; Devon Dotson noted Graham “always has a smile on his face,” while Mitch Lightfoot labeled his former teammate as “hilarious” before saying he “lights the room up.”
Graham also helped lift Self’s spirits too. Again, these guys could have gone anywhere, and certainly couldn’t have been blamed if they wanted to spend their weekend elsewhere.
“Seeing the ‘Cats’ that we had last year and the Kevin Youngs of the world ... those guys have given their heart and soul to this place,” Self said. “And they’ve given their heart and soul to me.”
In a difficult season, it was a needed pick-me-up. Some of the program’s looming concerns have hung in the air for weeks, while at the same time threatening to do that in the months and years to come.
It was all forgotten for a bit during KU’s romp Saturday. Allen Fieldhouse was Allen Fieldhouse. KU was back squarely in the Big 12 race. Self only had to look up a few rows to behind his seat to some of his favorite “Cats” pumping up this team as if it were their own.
“Certainly,” Self said, “it’s always cool to see them.”
And for a day, in a trying season, it had to be therapeutic.
The best parts of college basketball had come together — reminding Self and those around him how fun college basketball can be.
This story was originally published February 16, 2019 at 9:08 PM.
