Self says squad optimistic as semester begins: ‘This is a team that could make a run’
Kansas men’s basketball coach Bill Self and his assistants huddled with all 15 players on the 2019-20 roster during the squad’s annual back-to-school meeting on Sunday night.
“I think the whole group is pretty excited. I think there’s much more optimism within the group than we even had last year,” Self, now in his 17th season at KU, said Monday afternoon at his annual Bill Self Boy Scouts Golf Classic, which was postponed because of heavy rain at Lawrence Country Club. The event will likely be rescheduled for Oct. 21.
“I think we could be really good,” Self added Monday, coincidentally the first day of the 2019-20 school year on KU’s campus. “It’s hard to say we could be one of the best teams we’ve had. If I’m not mistaken not long ago (2016-17) we had Svi (Mykhailiuk) who is an NBA player, Josh (Jackson), the No. 4 pick in the draft, Frank (Mason), the national player of the year, and Devonté Graham, first-team All-American all playing at the same time.
“It’s hard to say we’ll be better (KU went 31-5 and reached Elite Eight in 16-17; 31-8 and Final Four in 17-18; and 26-10, second round last year). This is a team that could make a run. I really believe so. I don’t know how well we’ll shoot it yet. We signed a kid late (Isaiah Moss) who can really shoot the ball. We’ll see how he fits in. We’re big,” Self added. “We’ve got depth inside.”
KU boasts frontcourt NBA prospects in Udoka Azubuike, David McCormack and Silvio De Sousa as well as senior Mitch Lightfoot, who conceivably could be redshirted if the other three stay healthy.
“We’re going to be the equivalent of the Green Bay Packers’ sweep right, whereas we’ve been running the run-and-shoot the last couple years,” Self said, indicating the team, if healthy, figures to play two bigs at the same time — and pound it in the paint — a significant portion of the time.
An intriguing outside shooter has been added to the mix.
Moss, a 6-foot-5 graduate transfer from the University of Iowa is on campus for his final season of college basketball. Moss, who hails from Chicago, was not able to attend summer school at KU because of academic responsibilities. The rest of the squad was on campus for workouts in June and July.
“He had nine hours of internship to complete his degree,” Self said of Moss. “He did an internship with the Rev. Jesse Jackson, with his organization in Chicago. He was home and worked out. I went out there and watched him work out. Jerrance (Howard, KU assistant) went up there and watched him work out. I told him (Moss) yesterday, ‘That’s not the same as being with a group.’ He can shoot the ball,” Self quickly added.
KU freshman Tristan Enaruna, a 6-8 wing from Netherlands, gained some international experience in July while playing for his country in the FIBA Under-18 European Championships in Greece.
Enaruna led his team in scoring (19.1 points per game) and rebounding (8.7), while starting all six games for (2-4) Netherlands. He hit 40.3 percent of his shots. He was 5 of 36 from three for 13.9 percent and 21 of 42 from the line for 50 percent.
“I hope so,” Self said, asked if playing in that tourney would benefit Enaruna. “I know he didn’t shoot it well. He shot 18 percent from three. It (playing in tourney) forced him to be aggressive because I think he was their best player. NBA people told me he looked really good at times and sometimes would get lost.”
Harris update
KU figures to find out soon if Dajuan Harris, as expected, will be able to join KU’s team and start attending classes at KU.
Harris, a 6-foot-1 point guard out of Columbia’s Rock Bridge High, orally committed to KU on July 16. He reportedly has passed the summer classes he needed for admission to KU.
If Harris, who helped Rock Bridge win the Missouri Class 5 state title his senior season and helped MOKAN Elite to a Peach Jam AAU title this past summer, is admitted to KU, he will redshirt this season — practice but not play in games until 2020-21. If he is not admitted to KU, he’ll attend Sunrise Christian Academy in Bel Aire, Kansas, for a prep school year.
Self cannot comment on Harris’ situation in accordance with NCAA recruiting rules. Harris currently is ranked No. 83 in the recruiting Class of 2020 according to Rivals.com.
Strength coach update
Self said he’d like to hire a new strength coach “late this week and maybe have somebody on board by next week. That would be my ideal situation.”
Longtime KU strength coach Andrea Hudy recently accepted a job at the University of Texas.
“Andrea did a terrific job while she was here,” Self said. “If I’m not mistaken you have a lot of turnover in all jobs. When you have turnover it also gives you a chance to improve and get better, too. I’m not saying that will necessarily be the case because of who we hire.
“There are things going on in every basketball program or type of athletic program where you can get better. I think this gives us an opportunity to maybe address some toughness things and things I think we can get better with. Don’t take that the wrong way. I think she was awesome,” Self stated of Hudy. “It (Texas job) was a good opportunity for Andrea and and certainly it’s a good opportunity for us because the interest level has been pretty high.”
Jayhawks to work camp at BV Northwest
Blue Valley Northwest coach Ed Fritz and his assistant coaches will join KU basketball players at 810 Varsity’s Kansas basketball camp Saturday, Sept. 14 at Blue Valley Northwest High School.
Boys and girls kindergarten through eighth grade will take part in instructional drills from 1 p.m. until 4 p.m., with lunch and a question and answer session to follow from 4 p.m. to 5 p.m. To register go to 810varsity.com.