Thousands of KU basketball fans pack Wichita East for first stop on barnstorming tour
When he was 8 years old, Lane Stanberry didn’t show up early enough among the thousands of KU fans in Wichita hoping to secure an autograph from the seniors on the 2008 national championship team.
The Wichita native didn’t make the same mistake again. Stanberry was first in line at Wichita East High School on Saturday for the first event to kick off KU’s 2022 national championship barnstorming tour, showing up at 7:30 a.m. when the doors didn’t open until 1:30 p.m. for VIP ticket holders.
“I’ve been a KU fan since I was a little kid and I love these barnstorming events because of the access and being able to meet the people you root for and watch the entire year,” Stanberry said. “When they announced that all but one of the players were going to be here, I was shocked. I bought tickets immediately. I was not going to miss something like this. How many chances are there going to be like this to have almost the entire team here?”
Stanberry was one of an estimated 3,000 fans who waited in line for hours in the 80-degree heat, hoping to get a small piece of memorabilia signed by their favorite Jayhawks. The line of general admission ticket-holders was so long that it wrapped all around the side of East High School and extended clear back to the intersection of Douglas and Grove.
Unlike that 2008 team where only the seniors whose NCAA eligibility had expired could participate, all but one (David McCormack was the only player missing) of the 18 players on KU’s 2021-22 roster were in attendance in Wichita on Saturday, thanks to the NIL rules.
While it was the first stop on the barnstorming tour, which is expected to finalize dates and stops all around the state early next week, it was far from the first time the Jayhawks have felt like a traveling rock star show since defeating North Carolina, 72-69, to win the national title.
“It was insane honestly seeing the line outside,” KU senior Mitch Lightfoot said. “It was pretty crazy when we pulled up. Jayhawk fans are extraordinary. Being able to see our fans and interact with them and have that experience, I think is something these guys value and I value myself.”
The past three weeks have been a whirlwind for the players, but they don’t mind being whisked from city to city to celebrate the accomplishment. They recognize the importance of the victory.
“This team is like the pinnacle of Kansas basketball,” said Ochai Agbaji, the Final Four’s Most Outstanding Player. “We have a bunch of hard-working guys who worked hard for this. It was never given to us. We earned everything this season.”
“All the hard work throughout the whole year paid off,” KU starter Jalen Wilson said. “It feels good to win, so everybody else gets a piece of it. The fans get to share it. This is bigger than us. Not only did we win, everybody wins. I’m just happy everyone gets to celebrate.”
The most pressing question for players such as Agbaji, Wilson and Christian Braun was if they would be joining teammate David McCormack as an early entrant to the 2022 NBA Draft. While decisions to declare are expected by the trio, they weren’t ready to give an official announcement on Saturday ahead of Monday’s deadline.
“I’ve thought about it a lot, throughout the season and everything that goes into it,” Wilson said. “It’s a decision I’ll make with my family and think about everything that plays into it. Honestly, I’m still coming off the high of winning. There’s been so much going on these last two weeks. It’s a lot.”
The question came up again in the brief question-and-answer session from the fans, as one asked if Braun and Wilson would be returning to KU next season.
“If we get Ochai back, 100%,” Wilson joked, laughing.
The brief media session was mostly light-hearted, as Lightfoot joked about his status as the all-time winningest player in KU basketball history after finishing his six-year career with 171 games.
“Shoot, you stay around for six years anything is possible,” Lightfoot said, laughing. “All jokes aside, it’s been incredible. I came to this university wanting to be a small piece of it and continue the tradition and I had the opportunity to do that. I’m super grateful and super thankful to the guys I played with, the coaches, the fans. It’s been a life-changing experience. I wouldn’t change it for anything.”
“I’m surprised he hasn’t figured out a way to get another year,” Wilson cracked. “He’s one of the Kansas OG’s. That’s what we call him. He’s been here for a long time and worked hard and for him to win his last year was crazy.”
After six years in Lawrence, Lightfoot said he was ready for life after KU basketball.
“I want to go play professionally and play ball, whether that’s overseas or wherever,” Lightfoot said. “I’m still trying to figure that out. I want to keep playing ball. I’ve still got a passion for it, still got the legs for it. Everybody keeps telling me to go chase that dream. Don’t have any regrets about it. You can’t go back when you’re done, so just keep chasing it.”
After two-plus hours of signing autographs, the players did a short question-and-answer session with the fans in the stands followed by a quick appearance from 2008 hero Mario Chalmers on the microphone.
The players also played a half-speed game of full-court basketball for the fans, with Remy Martin and Bobby Pettiford serving as the coaches and Chris Teahan ending the game on a banked-in shot from halfcourt.
A handful of the players even stayed on the court following the game to sign autographs for a group of younger fans who had not been able to get anything signed earlier in the day. Earlier in the day, the players said they loved the interaction with fans and the additional time the barnstorming tour afforded them with their teammates.
“It’s fun, going to all these tours and being around these guys and still being able to play with this same group,” Agbaji said. “Even at the end (of the season), we still wanted to play more because we love each other so much.”
This story was originally published April 23, 2022 at 7:13 PM with the headline "Thousands of KU basketball fans pack Wichita East for first stop on barnstorming tour."
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