Advertisement

Back to Men's Basketball coverage

Men's Basketball

Friday, November 6, 2009

Gary Bedore’s KU Basketball Notebook

By Gary Bedore

Advertisement

Self hoping Henry returns Tuesday

Kansas University basketball coach Bill Self hopes injured freshman guard C.J. Henry will be able to play in Tuesday’s exhibition finale against Pittsburg State.

“He needs an opportunity to get out there and show what he can do with confidence,” Self said of the 6-foot-4 Oklahoma City native, who couldn’t play in Tuesday’s rout of Fort Hays State because of a nagging right knee injury.

“Not that he lacks for confidence, but he needs to see some good things happen because he hasn’t been out there,” Self added.

Henry, who gave up a pro baseball career after three seasons, sat out last hoops season at the University of Memphis because of a cracked bone in his foot.

“I am concerned, not concerned as much about the injury as the fact he’s missed so much time (week and a half),” Self said. “Once you start playing games, it’s hard to get that rhythm and be out there. Once you start playing games for real, you don’t put guys in the game just to get them in the game. He needs to be out there. As far as long-term health, I’m not concerned about that.”

Taylor will likely start next week

While noting he doesn’t put any stock in starting lineups this early, Self said “we’ll probably more than likely start Tyshawn Tuesday.”

He was referring to Tyshawn Taylor, who was replaced by Tyrel Reed in Tuesday’s opening lineup against Fort Hays State because of careless turnovers at practice.

Big O in town to hunt

Former KU center Greg Ostertag made a surprise appearance in the media room following Self’s regular weekly news conference Thursday. The 36-year-old former NBA player said he’s in town for hunting season. He told the Journal-World in September he hoped to make a comeback in the NBA, but has yet to receive an offer of a guaranteed contract. The 7-footer played 11 years in the league, retiring at the age of 33.

Red-shirting decisions not yet determined

Self said a decision on possibly red-shirting Mario Little, Travis Releford or Conner Teahan would be made prior to Tuesday’s game.

“I guess we could always say we are going to red-shirt somebody and take them off (later),” Self said. “You can’t do it the other way.”

He said: “I believe not all of them are going to red-shirt. They all want to play, but I would be disappointed if they didn’t feel that way. If you are a good player and the deck is kind of stacked against you right now, you feel maybe you are the odd man out, but if we feel you can be a starter here, that is not a bad scenario. If it ensures you graduating (without having to return to campus someday) it really is not bad.”

Self said the players will be the ones to make the call.

“I am not trying to convince them of anything. If you ask them what does coach want, they’d say, ‘Coach hasn’t said what he wants. All he wants us to do is have information so we can make the decision that’s best for us.’”

Recruiting updates

Harrison Barnes, a 6-foot-8 senior forward from Ames (Iowa) High, will make an unofficial visit to Iowa State this weekend. He is expected to choose either KU, North Carolina, Duke, Oklahoma, UCLA or ISU next week, perhaps a week from today on ESPNU. The weeklong early signing period begins Wednesday. ... Brandon Knight, a 6-3 guard from Pine Crest High in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., likely will choose a school in April, his dad tells Rivals.com.

More like this

Comments

billhawk (anonymous) says...

Lets keep our fingers crossed Harrison Barnes chooses KU. I have to think we're the favorite, but you never know. He seems like a student-athlete we could be proud of having in our family. Same for Brandon Knight.
Its been quiet on the recruiting front... too quiet.

November 6, 2009 at 6:57 a.m. ( | suggest removal )

froggiemlm (anonymous) says...

Barnes is Duke or UNC bound sorry to say but thats the way it looks.

November 6, 2009 at 7:59 a.m. ( | suggest removal )

swishymcjayhawk (anonymous) says...

actually, froggie, people close to the situation say that Duke is out and its now looking more and more like UNC and KU.

November 6, 2009 at 8:15 a.m. ( | suggest removal )

jayhawkerjoel (anonymous) says...

It will be interesting to see how CJ does - he has missed a lot of pratice. I hope he performs well - I hope daddy Carl is right about his skills.

So, Big O is in town to go hunting. Gee, I wonder how that fits into his rigorous training schedule as he trys to make an NBA comeback? Hey, I love the big fella too. But seriously, his lack effort after signing the big contract was legendary. I cannot imagine an NBA team giving him another opportunity given his reputation and time away.

November 6, 2009 at 9:04 a.m. ( | suggest removal )

memhawk (anonymous) says...

Don't underestimate the physical conditioning needed for hunting season. Why, you've got to walk out into the woods, set up a stand, sit there until you get tired of waiting and walk back to the truck. Very similar to the rigors of NBA training! Almost as challenging as fishing. In fact, hunting should be included in the KU boot camp it's so strenuous.

November 6, 2009 at 9:28 a.m. ( | suggest removal )

truehawk93 (anonymous) says...

All right...Get off the big fella! LOL (crap is pretty funny though)

Good guess folks! Funny b/c just yesterday, Oakvillejhawk said a source in the unc sports program claimed an indication of Barnes going to dook! I'll be a little presumptuous and say he's Crimson and Blue 11/13!! He'll blow us all away and go OU or ISU!! Yikes

Red-shirting decisions not yet determined

Barnes must have given CS a really strong indication of his intentions. What? I have no idea.

Wow! Knight waiting until April? I thought he'd make a decision shortly after Barnes.

November 6, 2009 at 9:42 a.m. ( | suggest removal )

KEITHMILES05 (anonymous) says...

Barnes is NOT Duke bound. He is either KU or UNC. KU has made a huge comeback in his recruitment. He told Coach K not to come to a practice a few days ago and Coach K was peeved. You read it here, he is NOT going to Puke.

November 6, 2009 at 10:53 a.m. ( | suggest removal )

kcmostwanted (anonymous) says...

Swishymcjayhawk...do you have a source?? I really can't imagine Duke being out at this point unless if Harrison finally realized that Duke was not the place for him on his last visit.

I think it's still pretty much a 3-way tie. I'm pretty sure he would love to attend all three schools...

I'm sure he likes the academic side of Duke and the fact that he'll be playing for Coach K but they don't have a business school if I'm not mistaking (only offer business degrees for Grad school at Duke right?). Another problem..Coach K lacks the size inside and Harrison may have to play a lot inside like Kyle Singler

Like many of us, he grew up being an MJ fan and wouldn't mind following MJ's footsteps by going to UNC...Not to mention they have a pretty solid Business school and he'd be playing for Roy Williams. UNC will have size next year so Harrison can play his more natural SG or SF position ...Question: do they have a PG to get Harrison the open looks? I'm not drinking the Larry Drew Kool-Aid and Dexter Strickland is more of a SG.

At Kansas he'll play for a prestigious basketball program with plenty of history and a great coach in Bill Self ( in my opinion ... the most well rounded coach in the NCAA.. Coach stresses D as much as O). Also he's from the midwest so i'm sure he grew up hearing about KU most of his life. Advantage: we're close to home... but just like many other players, his parents could move w/ him to the East Coast.

Many Pros and Cons for Harrison so let's just keep our fingers crossed :-)

November 6, 2009 at 10:59 a.m. ( | suggest removal )

OakvilleJHawk (anonymous) says...

keithmiles05

You've always been pretty reliable about your posts...where did you hear this?....not that I am not thrilled if it is true!!!

November 6, 2009 at 11 a.m. ( | suggest removal )

jaybate (anonymous) says...

""...All he wants us to do is have information so we can make the decision that’s best for us.’”--Self saying what potential red shirt players would say if asked what Self was telling them.

Top 5 Pieces of Information Coach Self Might Give Potential Red Shirts:

5. Gee, have you considered a five year major in architecture lately?

4. I'm sorry, what was your first name again?

3. Your chances of getting significant minutes this year are about the same as the chances of me growing hair under this rug.

2. You could be a starter next year, or you could never play a second at KU ever. Its your choice.

1. Would another year of chasing co-eds really be that bad?

November 6, 2009 at 11:50 a.m. ( | suggest removal )

jaybate (anonymous) says...

jaybate news service (jns):

Dateline: somewhere in Iowa

Headline Rumor: Barnes to Coach K: "Drop Deadski!"

In a startling press conference, Harrison Barnes reputedly announced that he had removed Duke from his list of schools and reputedly added, "Duke Coach Mike Krzyzewski can drop deadski!!!!"

In Durham, North Carolina, Coach Krzyzewski suffered a coronary on hearing Barnes decision and now rests comfortably at Duke Memorial Hospital.

Neither Duke officials, nor Barnes' representatives are reputedly willing to speak on the record.

jns stringers in Durham, however, indicate that Coach Krzyzewski, rumored to be suffering early on-set Alzheimers, had recently sent Barnes a text message reading: "Krzyzewski is the bestski so Barneski ought to signski."

In one of those wildly unexpected twists that often dramatically alter the course of college recruiting, Department of Homeland Security informants on the Duke campus informed DHS SubDirector Collin Rydlehuber Winston IV that Krzyzewsk's text message was actually an encoded message calling for jihad on the Jayhawk Nation and a terrorist attack on Allen Field House and that Barnes should sign with Duke to avoid being killed in the attack. Barnes being the upstanding young Iowan and future KU small forward was incensed at the threatened foul play and said so with the classic directness that Midwesterners are known for.

Note: This is all fiction. Malice is absent.

November 6, 2009 at 12:14 p.m. ( | suggest removal )

OakvilleJHawk (anonymous) says...

Malice is a chalice with a razor's edge...the fluid is sweet but the cut is neat and death awaits on the ledge.

November 6, 2009 at 1 p.m. ( | suggest removal )

drgnslayr (anonymous) says...

I'm pretty sure Harrison is looking hard at KU and UNC. I'd be surprised if he chooses Duke.

I'm hoping he sees the advantage of being close to home.

Can't wait to see CJ in the mix....

November 6, 2009 at 1:40 p.m. ( | suggest removal )

KEITHMILES05 (anonymous) says...

Scout is the source.

However, if any of you have followed recruiting you know how these young kids can change their minds. What was true this morning has changed this afternoon and by this evening who knows where it stands.

As for Barnes though he isn't your typical young man who is full of stardom. He is extremely intelligent and thoughtful and everything he says/does is for a reason.

I would expect things to pretty much follow his routine as he wants. Nobody is going to push him around and make things tough for him when it comes to his recruiting.

November 6, 2009 at 2:38 p.m. ( | suggest removal )

drgnslayr (anonymous) says...

For those following the career of Lance Stephenson:

http://cincinnati.scout.com/2/916659....

November 6, 2009 at 3:13 p.m. ( | suggest removal )

jaybate (anonymous) says...

OakvilleJHawk,

Fascinating doggerel. If an allusion, I can't connect it. Bravo!

November 6, 2009 at 4:43 p.m. ( | suggest removal )

jaybate (anonymous) says...

drgnslayr,

That is the latest approval to play that I can recall. Anyone recall a later one?

If he has had to wait to work out with the team till Nov. 5 approval date, UCinn would be behind the curve.

November 6, 2009 at 5:26 p.m. ( | suggest removal )

jchief40 (anonymous) says...

Just based on scanning the comments I am reading choice: UNC.

Well dag nab it...

November 6, 2009 at 5:45 p.m. ( | suggest removal )

jhawkdan42 (anonymous) says...

Harrison- if you want to learn how to play defense come to KU if however all you want to do is run up and down the court jacking up 3's and dunking, Roys your boy. Come to the phog Harrison you wont regret it!

November 6, 2009 at 7:50 p.m. ( | suggest removal )

Strikewso (anonymous) says...

Whoever Harrison chooses, I just hope he does it when he says he's going to do it and doesn't change his mind ten times. Of course I'm talking about those Henry clowns.

November 6, 2009 at 9:26 p.m. ( | suggest removal )

jchief40 (anonymous) says...

Are You TaLkinG AbouT THOSe HENRY clowns!!!!!!!!!! WhAT!!! Son a fragbag Awayahw 1

November 6, 2009 at 10:54 p.m. ( | suggest removal )

okiedave (anonymous) says...

Barnes will choose either ISU or KU. Duke was putting too much pressure on him to move away from the corn and he dropped them as he will eventually drop UNC. Barnes will decide to stay close to home at the end. ISU has he edge because he was born and bred a Cyclone going to Hilton and pulling for the Cyclones to beat the Hawks everytime. He is a local hero and will not give that up easily. KU is a 5 hour drive from Ames, but my money is on ISU snagging him in the end. The only reason he would pick KU is if he wants to play for a national championship. If it is not that important to him he will be a Cyclopse (Cyclopse defined: only basketball player on Cyclone basketball team).

November 7, 2009 at 7:41 a.m. ( | suggest removal )

truehawk93 (anonymous) says...

I hope you're right okiedave!! My response to your theory is: If I've decided like most have him going to either Dook or UNC, then WHY visit ISU? He wouldn't put a school through that if he wasn't serious. I believe he takes this recruiting seriously and each school gets equal consideration.

So, there must be a fair chance that he could commit to ISU. He could be a OAD and obviously go to the NBA early. But he doesn't seem hasty about any decisions in his life. He may stay at a school longer than OAD! I would think with his intelligence, he'll go to the school that will give him the most exposure. He will more than likely stay close to home, but not at home! UNC and Dook have created a lot of nasty recruiting experiences. I seem him in Crimson and Blue!!

If your ISU guess is correct, he will be much like Brackins. A tinkling symbol where his games go almost unnoticed. I totally agree with you about most of your ISU reasons, but I go where I get some positive national exposure. KU is that place!

November 7, 2009 at 6:51 p.m. ( | suggest removal )

jchief40 (anonymous) says...

He is going to ISU to be nice and visit all of his options before making a decision. That's just called following through I think... hope he picks KU. I love lamp.

November 7, 2009 at 9:09 p.m. ( | suggest removal )