Bill Self speaks on Jalen Wilson’s status, possibility of KU honoring David McCormack
Kansas junior forward Jalen Wilson has “helped himself tremendously” in terms of emerging as an NBA prospect since declaring for the 2022 Draft five weeks ago, KU men’s basketball coach Bill Self said Thursday night on his postseason Hawk Talk radio show.
“He’s played great. He’s shot it great,” Self said of Wilson, a 6-foot-8, 225-pound Denton, Texas native who played well enough at the recent NBA G League Elite Camp to be one of seven players to earn an invitation to the NBA Combine, where he combined for 19 points, 12 rebounds and eight assists in two games.
“We’ll have an answer from him probably in the next five to six days what he’s going to do,” Self added. Wilson has until June 1 to remove his name from the NBA Draft pool if he wishes to continue his college career.
“We should want them to do what is best for their life,” Self said of KU players and their future plans. “I think they all will make good decisions.”
Guard Christian Braun on Tuesday announced plans to keep his name in the June 23 draft rather than play a fourth year at KU.
“C.B. obviously is doing well. He may have played himself into the first round. He’s staying in (draft),” Self said of the 6-7 Blue Valley Northwest graduate who is showing up as a late first-round to early second-round draft pick in most of the mock drafts. Braun combined for 23 points, 11 rebounds, seven assists and four steals in two Combine games.
Self provided an update on the future of all of KU’s scholarship seniors on KU’s 2022 national championship team.
Guard Ochai Agbaji, who played the last four seasons at KU, according to Self has “played himself into a more-than-likely lottery pick (top 14 overall selections).”
Self said he recently joked with Agbaji about his status as an all-time KU great.
“I told ‘Och’, ‘be proud, but you are second,’” Self said, referring to second to Danny Manning, who led KU to the 1988 NCAA title. “I said, ‘You are not going to be the first player in the draft and national player of the year (like Manning).’ But to be a first-team All-American and win a national championship, that’s about as good as can be for a guy going out and to graduate early it was a special year for him,” Self added.
Of forward Mitch Lightfoot, whose six-year college career has ended, Self said: “Mitch has signed with an agent. They are looking for a place for him to go, probably overseas more than anything. G-League could be a potential option. I would think probably overseas to try to make a little bit of money would be great. I would recommend that. If he can get in a good spot, see the world at age 29, I think that would be great,” Self added, joking about Lightfoot leaving KU at the age of 24 (turns 25 in July).
Of guard Remy Martin, who played his Super Senior season at KU after four years at Arizona State, Self said: “I think Remy could kill it in certain areas primarily the Philippines because those teams are allowed two Americans. Remy (whose mom is from Philippines) wouldn’t count against the (limit of) two but he would probably be the highest paid player in the league.”
Self noted that Jalen Coleman-Lands, who played a Super Senior season at KU could “be a CEO or billionaire at the age of 31 (he turns 26 in July) or try to play a little bit. He doesn’t know exactly what the next move is for him.”
Then there’s David McCormack, the 6-foot-10 hero of the NCAA title victory over North Carolina, who would love to be taken in the NBA Draft after four years at KU.
“David is going through the process. He played in the G League Elite Camp. He was good, solid,” Self said. “He didn’t get invited to the big Combine, still yet David McCormack has a legitimate chance to be a 2-way player (between NBA and G League). Those guys make about $460,000 if they are able to stick. He could be an Exhibit 10 guy like Dedric (Lawson, former KU forward). That’s the $100,000 range or David could go overseas and make really good money,” Self added.
Will McCormack’s jersey hang in rafters some day?
Self addressed the issue of McCormack’s jersey perhaps being hung in the fieldhouse rafters at some point.
McCormack could have, and many say should have, been voted Final Four Most Outstanding Player after scoring 40 points on 63% shooting and grabbing 19 rebounds combined in Final Four wins over Villanova and North Carolina in New Orleans. His two buckets in the final moments propelled KU to the 72-69 win over UNC in the championship game.
Self’s statements on Hawk Talk make it sound as if McCormack will ultimately join consensus first-team All-American, Big 12 player of the year and Final Four MVP Agbaji as two locks from the 2022 title team to have their jerseys hung.
“I would hope so,” Self said, asked by Hawk Talk host Brian Hanni if KU would “ever do anything to recognize his achievement (at Final Four) as a way into the rafters?”
“Who knows if I’ll be the coach that long, but David McCormack I think deserves to have his jersey hung based on the criteria that we have. Most outstanding player in the Final Four should go. This is not a knock to ‘Och.’ I said many times it should have been co-MVP,” Self said.
The votes for most outstanding player of the Final Four were compiled with a couple minutes left to play, prior to McCormack hitting two clutch hoops late vs. the Tar Heels.
“For David’s jersey not to be hung for something that would mean that much to him because of a criteria of a rule that votes have to be turned in at a certain time when it doesn’t indicate the full story I think would be unfair to David. I’m sure it will be discussed a lot moving forward,” Self added.
According to KU’s media guide, KU’s original criteria for having a jersey hung in the rafters was limited to “KU players named college basketball player of the year, most valuable player of the NCAA Tournament or being named a four-time All-American.” In the early 2000s, the criteria was switched to include consensus first-team All-Americans, two-time first-team All-Americans and Academic All-American of the Year winners.
“Folks … those last two baskets he made to win that game (against UNC), I mean those were big boy plays,” Self said. “He was right on point and focused. He was great. Ochai deserves everything that comes his way but David could have easily been MOP as well based on the last couple of plays. That’s not taking anything away from ‘Och’ because he’s amazing. David played at a ridiculously high level. All those people that doubted David (earlier in season) and maybe there was a time or two I did a little bit, should all basically owe him some form of gratitude or apology. He showed everybody he could put us on his back and carry us when it counted the most.”
