Legends of the Phog Notes

 

From KU Athletics:

Kansas’ Legends of the Phog charity basketball game, presented by Crown Automotive, Pella Windows and Doors of Kansas, and Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas, will take place Saturday, Sept. 24, at 4 p.m., in historic Allen Fieldhouse. Doors will open at 2 p.m. for KU students and 2:30 p.m. for the general public. Parking for the event is free; Park and Ride will not be provided for this event. Additionally, there will be no formal autograph session with the participants.

In conjunction with the Jayhawk Television Network, Metro Sports in Kansas City and statewide Cox Communications Kansas 22 will televise the Legends of the Phog. KU broadcasting legend Max Falkenstien and veteran broadcaster Dave Armstrong will call the action.

Fans outside the state of Kansas and the KC area can also watch the game via the internet on AT&T Jayhawk All Access. One can subscribe to All Access at www.kuathletics.com KLWN’s Brian Hanni and former Jayhawk star Bud Stallworth will call the game for the Jayhawk Radio Network and the All Access audio. Affiliates of the Jayhawk Radio Network that will broadcast the game include KCSP (610 Sports) in Kansas City; WIBW (580 AM) in Topeka; and KLWN (1320 AM) in Lawrence.

Former KU coaches Larry Brown and Ted Owens will coach a collection of former KU players who have been part of three NCAA titles, 54 conference championships, 13 Final Fours and 2,038 all-time victories. The rosters will include many current NBA Jayhawks as well as many other recent KU standouts.

Kansas Athletics will donate a portion of the proceeds in memory of former KU assistant coach Neil Dougherty, who died tragically this past summer. KU officials are working directly with the Dougherty family on specifics, including one of his favorite local charities – the Boys & Girls Club of Lawrence.

Larry Brown · 1984-88 at KU
The sixth head coach in Kansas basketball history, Brown maintained Kansas’ national prominence while leading his teams to NCAA Tourn­a­ment appearances in each of his five seasons.  Brown accepted the head coaching position with the San Antonio Spurs following the 1987-88 season and spent 23 seasons as a head coach in the NBA. Brown had a cumulative collegiate coaching record of 177-61 (.744) in seven seasons, including a five-year mark of 135-44 (.754) at Kansas.

A 1963 graduate of North Carolina, Brown was an honorable mention All-America guard under former Kansas basketball player Dean Smith. After playing on the 1964 United States gold medal-winning Olympic team, Brown went on to distinguish himself first as a player then as a coach in the American Basketball Association. He also served as a head coach in the NBA following its merger with the ABA.

While the head coach at UCLA (1979-80, 1980-81), Brown led his freshman-dominated 1979-80 team to the NCAA title game before falling to Louisville, 59-54. Brown’s 1985-86 Kansas team reached the NCAA Final Four, and the 1987-88 Jayhawk squad won the national title, defeating Oklahoma 83-79. He was selected as the 1986 Big Eight Conference Coach of the Year.

He was elected to the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame in 2002.

#45 Cole Aldrich (2008-10)
Career Honors: 2009-10: KU single-season blocked shots record (125)… Mr. Jayhawk Award… Consensus All-America Second Team… NABC All-America Second Team… Associated Press All-America Third Team… USBWA All-America Second Team… Big 12 Championship All-Tournament Team… Yahoo! Sports All-America Third Team… All-Big 12 First Team… Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year… Big 12 All-Defensive Team… USBWA District VI… Academic All-Big 12 First Team… ESPN The Magazine/CoSIDA Academic All-American of the Year… Oscar Robertson Award Finalist (by USBWA, one of 16)… Phillips 66 Big 12 Player of the Week (Feb. 1)… Athletics Director’s and Big 12 Commissioner’s honor rolls (fall 2009)… Phillips 66 co-Big 12 Player of the Week (Jan. 4)… KU-Memphis Basketball Hall of Fame Showcase MVP… Mr. Jayhawk Award…. 2008-09:Associated Press All-American Honrable Mention… All-Big 12 First Team… Big 12 co-Defensive Player of the Year… Big 12 All-Defensive Team… NABC District Eight First Team… Academic All-Big 12 Second Team.

Career Highlights: Recorded the first triple-double in KU basketball history in the Second Round of the 2009 NCAA Tournament versus Dayton… Had 37 career double-doubles at KU… Scored 15+ points 25 different times throughout his career… His career high in points was 24… Career-high 20 rebounds… Member of 2008 National Championship team.

After KU: Selected with the 11th overall pick of the 2010 NBA Draft by the New Orleans Hornets and traded to the Oklahoma City Thunder.

#00 Darrell Arthur (2007-08)
Career Honors: All-Big 12 First Team… NABC District 12 First Team… Preseason Honorable Mention AP All-American… Preseason All-Big 12 First Team… Athletic Director’s and Big 12 Commissioner’s honor rolls (spring 2007)… All-Big 12 Honorable Mention… Big 12 All-Rookie team.

Career Highlights: Scored 20+ points seven different times throughout his KU career… Also had seven career double-doubles… Career-high 26 points versus Towson during his freshman season… Career-high 12 rebounds versus Kansas State in 2007… Member of the 2008 National Championship team.

After KU: Arthur was originally drafted as the 27th overall pick by the New Orleans Hornets in 2008 but after two trades ended up with the Memphis Grizzlies… Helped lead Grizzlies to the NBA Playoffs in 2011… In the 2011 Playoffs, was an instrumental piece of the team that upset the No. 1- seeded San Antonio Spurs in the first round… Has played in 188 career NBA games, while starting in 74… Averaging just under seven points per game and four rebounds per game for his professional career.

#21 Nick Bradford (1997-00)
Career Highlights: Averaged a career-high 9.2 points and six rebounds per game during his junior season… For his career, averaged 5.8 points and 3.6 rebounds per game… Scored a career-high 23 points versus Colorado in 1999 and pulled down a career-high 11 rebounds versus Saint Louis in 1998.

After KU: In 2011, Bradford joined the Labette Community College (Parsons, Kan.) Cardinals of the Kansas Jayhawk Community College Conference coaching staff as an assistant coach… Bradford played for the minor league Kansas City Knights, a team that was coached by former Kansas Jayhawk player Kevin Pritchard from 2001 to 2003… He signed for the 2001-03 seasons with the Iceland Premier League club The Keflavík Express–Iceland.

#15 Mario Chalmers (2006-08)
Career Honors: Final Four Most Outstanding Player… Big 12 Championship All-Tournament Team… All-Big 12 Second Team… Big 12 All-Defensive Team (coaches)… Big 12 All-Defense Team (media)… NABC District 12 First Team… Co-Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year… All-Big 12 Third Team by Big 12… All-Big 12 Honorable Mention (AP)…  All-Big 12 Defensive Team… Big 12 All-Defense Team (AP)… Las Vegas Invitational All-Tournament team… All-Big 12 Honorable Mention… Big 12 All-Rookie Team… Big 12 All-Defensive Team… All-Big 12 Third Team (AP)… Big 12 Championship Most Outstanding Player… Big 12 Championship All-Tournament Team… Rivals.com Freshman of the Week (March 13)… Big 12 Player of the Week (Feb. 13)… Big 12 Rookie of the Week (Jan. 30)… CBS Sportsline Freshman of the Week (Jan. 30)… Dutch Lonborg Free Throw Percentage Award… Clyde Lovellette Most Improved Player Award (co- Julian Wright).

Career Highlights: Made the game-tying three pointer with 2.1 seconds left in the 2008 National Championship game versus Memphis to send it to overtime… Career-high 30 points in the Big 12 Championship game versus Texas in 2008… Scored in double figures on 73 occasions in his career… Recorded 3+ steals 56 times at KU.

After KU: Selected 34th overall in the 2008 NBA Draft by the Minnesota Timberwolves and was later traded to the Miami Heat… Helped lead the Heat to the 2011 NBA Finals… Has played in 225 career NBA games, while starting 132… Averaging seven points, three assists, and a steal for his career.

#4 Nick Collison (2000-03)
Career Honors: 2003 NABC National Player of the Year… 2003 Consensus First-Team All-American… 2003 Big 12 Male Athlete of the Year… 2003 All-Big 12 First-Team… Big 12 Player of the Year… 2003 NCAA All-Final Four team… Helped Kansas to back-to-back Final Fours in 2002 and 2003… Led the 2003 team in scoring and rebounding… 2002 Honorable Mention All-American… 2001 and 2002 All-Big 12 selection… 2002 Big 12 All-Tournament Team… 2002 NCAA Midwest Regional All-Tournament team… Led the Big 12 with 2.2 blocks per game in 2002… Second-leading scorer and rebounder on 2002 Final Four team… Ranks second in scoring, third in rebounding and second in blocks in KU history… Left KU as the Big 12’s all-time leading scorer and rebounder… Had his jersey retired at KU during the 2003-04 season.

Career Highlights:  Averaged 18 points and 10 rebounds per game during his senior season…  For his career he averaged 14.8 points and eight rebounds per game… Shot an incredible 56 percent from the field for his career… Scored 24 points and pulled down 23 rebounds against Texas in Allen Fieldhouse his senior season.

After KU: The 12th overall selection in the 2003 NBA Draft by the Seattle Supersonics, now the Oklahoma City Thunder…  Helped lead the OKC Thunder to the 2011 Western Conference Finals… Has played in 525 career NBA games, while starting in 169… Averaging seven points and six boards for his NBA career.

#42 Jeff Graves (2002-04)
Career Highlights: Member of the 2003 national runner-up team… Scored 16 points and pulled down a career-high 16 rebounds in the National Championship game… Averaged 6.2 points and six rebounds per game throughout his collegiate career.

After KU: Started the 2004-05 season with the Kansas City Knights in the ABA (statistics unavailable) before moving on to the Dakota Wizards in the CBA, appearing in five games and averaging 4.4 points and 3.4 rebounds… Played with the Kansas Cagerz (USBL) in the summer of 2004, averaging 7.5 points and 5.9 rebounds in 24 games… Has also spent time in the NBA Development League.

#1 Jeff Hawkins (2002-06)
Career Honors: In 2006, received the James Naismith Captain Award and Senior Award… 2005 Ted Owens Defensive Player Award.

Career Highlights: Played in 113 career games for Kansas, including 32 during his senior season… Member of the 2003 national runner-up squad… Averaged five points per game for his career.

After KU: Hired as the boys head basketball coach at Perry-Lecompton High School in 2010.

#1 Xavier Henry (2010)
Career Honors: Collegeinsider.com Freshman All-America Team… FoxSports.com All-Freshman Team… USBWA District VI Team… All-Big 12 Honorable Mention… Big 12 All-Rookie Team… Big 12 All-Freshman Team (media)… Big 12 Rookie of the Week (Feb. 22)… Athletics Director’s and Big 12 Commissioner’s honor rolls (fall 2009)… Phillips 66 Big 12 Rookie of the Week (Dec. 14)… Phillip 66 Big 12 Rookie of the Week (Dec. 7).

Career Highlights: Averaged 13 points and four rebounds during his one season at Kansas… Played and started in all 36 games for the Jayhawks in 2009-10… Scored a KU freshman-debut record 27 points versus Hofstra… Led the team with 1.5 steals per game for the season… Recorded a career-high seven steals versus Baylor… Scored a career-high 31 points versus LaSalle… Scored in double-figures 22 different times.

After KU: Selected 12th overall in the 2010 NBA Draft by the Memphis Grizzlies… Was the first one-and-done player in KU men’s basketball history… Saw playing time in 38 games during his rookie season while making 16 starts… Averaged four points per game.

#32 Darnell Jackson (2004-08)
Career Honors: Danny Manning “Mr. Jayhawk” Award… USBWA District VI… All-Big 12 Third Team… Big 12 All-Improved Team (media)… NABC District 12 Second Team… V Foundation Comeback Award Finalist… Phillips 66 co-Big 12 Player of the Week (Jan. 7). 2004-05: Athletic Director’s and Big 12 Commissioner’s honor rolls (fall 2004).

Career Highlights: Averaged career highs in points (11.2) and rebounds (6.7) per game during his senior season… Led the team in field goal percentage at an astounding 62 percent… Member of the 2008 National Championship team… Led the team in scoring eight different times during his senior season.

After KU: Selected as the 52nd overall pick in the 2008 NBA Draft by the Miami Heat, but was traded to the Cavaliers later that same day… Now is a member of the NBA’s Sacramento Kings… Has played in 138 career games in the NBA, while making four starts… Played in a career-high 59 games in 2010-11 with the Kings.

#34 Christian Moody (2002-06)
Career Honors: 2005 First-Team Academic All-Big 12… Ken Koenigs Academic Award… Dick Harp Field Goal Percentage Award… KU’s CBS Chevrolet Player of Game at Kentucky… 2004 First Team Academic All-Big 12… James Naismith Captain Award… Senior Award… Considered one of the best walk-ons in college basketball history.

Career Highlights: Played in 104 career games, making 34 starts… Was called the greatest walk-on of all time by Billy Packer in KU’s win at Kentucky his junior season… Was on scholarship his senior year…. Averaged 5.8 points and 4.7 rebounds per game during his junior year… Recorded his first career double-double versus TCU in 2005 with 10 points and 10 rebounds… Career-high 11 points versus Kentucky and Oklahoma State in 2005.

After KU: Following graduation, played for Athletes in Action… Is currently in med school at KU.

#22 Marcus Morris (2008-11)
Career Honors: Consensus All-America Second Team… NABC All-America Second Team… Wooden Award All-American… NCAA Southwest Regional All-Tournament Team… Associated Press All-America Second Team… USBWA All-America Second Team… Big 12 Championship Most Outstanding Player… Big 12 Player of the Year… All-Big 12 First Team… Phillips 66 Big 12 Player of the Week (Feb. 14)… Phillips 66 Big 12 Player of the Week (Jan. 17)… Phillips 66 Big 12 Player of the Week (Nov. 29)… iBN Las Vegas Invitational Most Valuable Player… 2010 Yahoo! Sports Most Improved Player (national)… All-Big 12 Second Team… All-Big 12 Honorable Mention (AP)… Big 12 All-Improved Team (media)… 2009 Big 12 All-Rookie Team.

Career Highlights: Averaged 12 points and six rebounds for his career… During his junior season averaged a career-high 17.6 points and 7.6 rebounds per game… Scored a career-high 33 points in a win against Iowa State… Ranked second in the Big 12 in field goal percentage with a 57 percent clip… Notched 10 double-doubles during the 2010-11 season… Led KU in every statistical category at least once… Grabbed a career-high 16 rebounds in Kansas’ Elite Eight matchup against VCU… Scored 654 points on the season, ranking 12th on KU’s all-time single-season scoring chart.

After KU: Selected by the Houston Rockets with the 14th pick in the 2011 NBA Draft.

#21 Markieff Morris (2008-11)
Career Honors: 2011 Big 12 Championship All-Tournament Team… All-Big 12 Second Team… Phillips 66 Big 12 Player of the Week (Dec. 27)… iBN Las Vegas Invitational All-Tournament Team… 2010 Big 12 All-Improved Team.

Career Highlights: In 2010-11, second-leading scorer on the team with a 13.6 ppg average during his junior season… Led the Big 12 in field goal percentage (58.9) and rebounding at 8.3 boards per game…. His field goal percentage also ranked 12th nationally… Hit a career highs in both points and rebounds in a win against Colorado (2/19), scoring 26 points and grabbing 15 rebounds… Selected to the Big 12 Championship All-Tournament Team after scoring 14.7 ppg and grabbing 7.3 rpg en route to the tourney championship… Scored in double figures in all but seven of KU’s 38 contests… Played a career-high 35 minutes against Michigan (1/9), averaging 24.4 mpg on the season… Shot 42.4 percent from behind the three-point arc (25-of-59)… Shot 90 percent from the field (9-of-10) in a win against Baylor (1/17) in a 19-point scoring effort… Shot 63.2 percent from the field in Big 12 play… Led the conference in double-doubles with 13, the ninth most in KU history… Pulled down double-figure rebounds in 15 games… Ranks 18th on KU’s all-time rebounding list with 662 and 17th on the all-time blocks list with 103.

After KU: Selected by the Phoenix Suns with the 13th pick in the 2011 NBA Draft.

#44 Ron Kellogg (1982-86)
Career Honors: All-Big Eight selection 1985 and 1986… USBWA All-District 5 selection in 1985… World University Games participant for the United States… Member of 1986 Kansas Final Four team… Led Kansas in scoring in 1984-85.

Career Highlights: Averaged 11 points and three rebounds for his career… During his junior year, averaged a career-high 17.6 points and 4.9 rebounds per game.

After KU: A second-round NBA draft pick by the Atlanta Hawks with the 42nd overall pick… Signed on with the Topeka Sizzlers of the Continental Basketball Association… After leaving the CBA, Kellogg pursued a career in business and now resides with his family in Omaha.

#00 Greg Ostertag (1991-95)
Career Honors: Kansas’ all-time blocked shots leader with 258… Broke the Kansas single-season blocked shots record with 97 his junior season… Had 91 blocked shots his senior campaign… Ranks 12th on the KU career rebounds list with 770… Led KU in field goal percentage in 1995 at 59.6 percent… Led the Jayhawks in rebounding as a junior and senior… First round (28th overall pick) NBA Draft selection of the Utah Jazz and played 10 of his 11 seasons with the Jazz.

Career Highlights: Averaged just over seven points and six rebounds for his career at KU… Finished 32 points shy of 1,000 career points… During his junior year he averaged a career-high 10.3 points and 8.8 rebounds per game… KU’s all-time blocked shots leader with 258.

After KU: Drafted by the Utah Jazz in the first round in 1995 with the 28th pick… Spent the next nine seasons playing for the Jazz, playing alongside superstars John Stockton and Karl Malone, before signing as a free agent with the Sacramento Kings in 2004… Later in his career (Aug. 2, 2005), Ostertag was involved in a five-team, 13-player trade (the largest in NBA history) that sent him back to the Jazz… Played in 756 career games in the NBA with 321 starts.

#34 Paul Pierce (1995-98)
Career Honors: A Consensus First-Team All-American in 1998… Joined teammate Raef LaFrentz on that prestigious team… First team All-Big 12 selection in 1998… Dallas Morning News Big 12 Player of the Year in 1998… MVP of the Big 12 Tournament in both 1997 and 1998… A finalist for the 1998 John Wooden Award… One of just seven players in KU history to score more than 700 points in one season… Ranks 14th in Kansas history for career rebounds (676)… Had his jersey retired at KU during the 2002-03 season.

Career Highlights: Averaged 16 points and six rebounds through his three years at KU… Career-high 20.4 points per game during his junior season… Played in 108 career games with 103 starts… Erupted for 31 points, including 15 straight, on Senior Night against Oklahoma in 1998.

After KU: Opted for the NBA draft following his junior season in 1998 and was the 10th pick in the draft by the Boston Celtics… Nine-time All-Star, four-time All-NBA team selection… Led Boston to the NBA Finals in 2008, and 2010, winning the 2008 NBA Finals… Named the 2008 NBA Finals MVP in his first trip to the NBA Finals… One of only three Celtics, alongside Larry Bird and John Havlicek, who have scored over 20,000 points in their career with the Celtics alone.

#31 Scot Pollard (1993-97)
Career Honors: Ranks fourth in Kansas history with 218 blocked shots… Ranks eighth in KU history with 850 career rebounds…  Among KU’s all-time leaders in career free throws and attempts… Honorable Mention All-America in 1997… Second team All-Big Eight in 1996.

Career Highlights: Averaged 9.4 points and 6.6 rebounds per game for his KU career… During his senior season averaged a career-high 10.3 points and 8.3 rebounds.

After KU: Selected in the first round of the 1997 NBA Draft by the Detroit Pistons with the 19th pick… Appeared in the NBA Playoffs, including the 2007 NBA Finals with the Cleveland Cavaliers… Won a championship in his final season (2007-08) with the Boston Celtics… Spent time with the Kings, Pacers, Cavs and Celtics during his professional career.

#4 Ryan Robertson (1995-99)
Career Honors: First team GTE Academic All-America in 1999… PaineWebber and CBS/Frontier National Scholar-Athlete of the Year in 1999… Third team All-Big 12 (1999)… Played in 142 games — the second-most in KU history… Never missed a practice or game in his four-year career… Helped lead KU to conference titles in 1996-97-98 … Led KU to three-straight Big 12 Tournament titles (1997, 1998, 1999)… Ranks among KU’s all-time leaders in assists, steals, three-point field goals and free throw percentage.

Career Highlights: Averaged 7.4 points and 2.4 rebounds per game over his collegiate career… Shot 40 percent from three-point range and 80 percent from the free-throw line…  Averaged 12.8 points and 4.0 rebounds per game and shot 87 percent from the free-throw line his senior season… Scored a career-high 31 points against Kentucky in the NCAA Tournament his senior season.

After KU: Selected in the second round of the NBA Draft by the Sacramento Kings… Played in one NBA game, scoring five points… Later played professionally for the American Basketball Association team Kansas City Knights during the 2000-2001 season… After one season with the Kansas City minor league team, he then moved to Europe to play in Holland for EiffelTowers Nijmegen during the 2001-04 seasons… He finished his professional career playing for Panellinios B.C. (Greece) and Cholet Basket (France) during the 2004-05 season.

#25 Brandon Rush (2005-08)
Career Honors: 2007-08: Final Four All-Tournament Team… Chevrolet Player of the Game vs. Portland State in NCAA Tournament… Big 12 Tournament MOP… All-Big 12 First Team… NABC District 12 First Team… Phillips 66 co-Big 12 Player of the Week (March 4)… 2006-07: Wooden Award All-American… NCAA West Regional All-Tournament Team… Associated Press Honorable Mention All-American… Chevrolet Player of the Game vs. Kentucky, Southern Illinois and UCLA in NCAA Tournament… Big 12 All-Tournament Team… All-Big 12 First Team by Big 12 Conference… All-Big 12 Second Team (AP)… USBWA District VI… NABC District 12 First Team… Naismith Trophy finalist… 2005-06: Sporting News All-Freshman Team… Big 12 Freshman of the Year… All-Big 12 First Team… All-Big 12 Second Team (AP)… Big 12 All-Rookie Team… USBWA District VI Player of the Year… USBWA First Team All-Region… NABC District 12 Second Team… Big 12 Rookie of the Week (Jan. 9, Feb. 6 and March 6)… CBS Sportsline Freshman of the Week (Jan. 9)… Rivals.com Freshman of the Week (Feb. 6)… Athletic Director’s and Big 12 Commissioner’s honor rolls (fall 2005)… Bill Bridges Rebounding Award… Dr. Forrest C. “Phog” Allen Most Valuable Player Award.

Career Highlights: Member of the 2008 National Championship team… Averaged 13.6 points and 5.5 rebounds in his career… Shot 43 percent from three-point range and 73 percent from the free-throw line… His junior season, averaged 13.3 points and shot 78 percent from the free-throw line… Recorded a career-high 28 points against Texas A&M in 2008 and a career-high 12 rebounds against Kentucky in 2006… Led KU in scoring 29 times in his career.

After KU: Selected 13th overall by the Portland Trail Blazers in the 2008 NBA Draft… Was then traded to the Indiana Pacers… Has played in 224 games with 104 starts and averaged 8.9 points in his career.

#32 Josh Selby (2010-11)
Career Honors: Phillips 66 Big 12 Rookie of the Week (Dec. 20, Jan. 31)… Preseason Big 12 Freshman of the Year… Preseason All-Big 12 Honorable Mention… 2010 McDonald’s All-American.

Career Highlights: Saw action in 26 games for the Jayhawks, earning starts in 11 contests… Averaged 7.9 points, 2.2 rebounds and 2.2 assists per game… In his first collegiate game, he scored a season-high 21 points, going 5-of-8 from behind the arc, and collected five rebounds.

After KU: Selected by the Grizzlies with the 49th pick in the 2011 NBA Draft.

#23 Wayne Simien (2001-05)

Career Honors: Consensus All-American in 2005… Wooden and Naismith awards finalist his senior season… 2005 Big 12 Player of the Year… Two-time All-Big 12 First Team  (2004 and 2005)… Five-time Big 12 Player of the Week… Third Team Associated Ppress  All-American in 2004… Two-time Big 12 All-Tournament selection (2004 and 2005)… Two-time team MVP… 2005 Bayer Advantage Senior CLASS Award winner… Had his jersey retired during the 2010-11 season… Dr. Forrest C. Phog Allen Most Vaulable Player Award… The Sporting News First Team All-American… Bill Bridges Rebounding Award…Danny Manning “Mr. Jayhawk” Award… James Naismith Captains Award… Associated Press First Team All-American.

Career Highlights: Led the Big 12 in scoring and rebounding his senior season… Career-high 32 points versus Oklahoma State in 2005… Career-high 20 rebounds versus Kansas State in 2005… Scored in double-figures in every game but one during his senior season… Recorded 16 double-doubles in his final year at KU… Finished college career with 110 wins and a 12-4 NCAA Tournament record.

After KU: First-round draft pick of the Miami Heat in 2005… Won an NBA Championship with the Heat as a rookie… Decided to retire from professional basketball on May 5, 2009, to pursue work in Christian ministry… Runs Called to Greatness, his sports ministry organization, and is also the KU men’s basketball and football team chaplain.

#12 Billy Thomas (1994-98)
Career Honors: Ranks second in KU history for career three-point field goals (269) and attempts (691)… His 105 three-point field goals in 1998 are the third-most (single season) in KU history… Played in 137 career games — the ninth-most in KU history… Never lost a home game in his four-year career… Honorable mention All-Big 12 in 1998.

Career Highlights: Averaged 8.4 points per game for his career… Played his best basketball during his senior season when he averaged 13.6 points and three rebounds per game, while shooting 40 percent from three-point range… A career 39 percent three-point shooter… One of the best three-point shooters in Kansas basketball history.

After KU: A former standout in the NBA’s developmental league… Had stints with the New Jersey Nets (2004-05),Washington Wizards (2005-06), and Cleveland Cavaliers (2007-08)… Has also played professionally in Argentina… Played in numerous other leagues during his professional basketball career: the USBL, the CBA, the IBL, the D-League, the Argentine League, the Italian League, the Serbian League, the Adriatic League, the Greek League and the ULEB Cup… Drafted by the Maine Red Claws in the third round of the NBA Development League Expansion Draft (Sept. 2009).

#14 Darnell Valentine (1977-81)
Career Honors: 1981 All-American… 1979, 1980 and 1981 Academic All-American… Member of 1980 United States Olympic Team… All-Big Eight 1978, 1979, 1980 and 1981; the first-ever four-time honoree recipient… Ranks fifth in assists in Kansas history with 609… Kansas MVP in 1978, 1979, 1980 and 1981… Had his jersey retired at KU during the 2004-05 season.

Career Highlights: Averaged 15.4 points for his career… Best season came as a junior when he averaged a career-high 16.5 points per game… Played in 118 career games and started all but four of them… Averaged 5.2 assists per game for his career.

After KU: Selected by the Portland Trail Blazers in the first round (16th pick overall) of the 1981 NBA Draft… In 300 regular season games with Portland, averaged 9.8 points, 2.3 rebounds and 5.4 assists a game… Also played for the Los Angeles Clippers and the Cleveland Cavaliers during his 10-year NBA career… Owns career averages of 8.7 points, 2.1 rebounds and 5.0 assists in 620 NBA games… From 1994 to 2004, Valentine served as a Regional Representative for the National Basketball Players Association… Starting in September 2004, Valentine went to work for the Portland Trail Blazers as Director of Player Programs.

#30 Julian Wright (2005-07)
Career Honors: Associated Press All-American Honorable Mention… NABC All-American Third Team… Big 12 All-Tournament Team… All-Big 12 First Team… Phillips 66 Big 12 Player of the Week (Nov. 26, March 5)… USBWA District VI Team… NABC District 12 First Team… Las Vegas Invitational MVP… Co-Preseason Big 12 Player of the Year with sophomore teammate Brandon Rush… Preseason All-Big 12 First Team. 2005-06: Big 12 Championship All-Tournament Team… All-Big 12 Honorable Mention… Big 12 All-Rookie Team… All-Big 12 Honorable Mention (AP)… Preseason Big 12 Freshman of the Year (coaches)… Big 12 Rookie of the Week (Feb. 27)… Dick Harp Field Goal Percentage Award (co-with Sasha Kaun)… Clyde Lovellette Most Improved Player Award (co-with Mario Chalmers).

Career Highlights: Averaged 10.4 points and 6.3 rebounds per game for his career… During his sophomore year averaged a career-high 12 points and 7.8 rebounds per game… Led the Jayhawks in scoring six different times throughout his sophomore year… Led the team in rebounds 22 different times during his final season… Scored a career-high 33 points against Missouri in 2007… Also pulled down a career-high 13 rebounds against Texas.

After KU: No. 13 overall pick in the 2007 NBA Draft by the New Orleans Hornets… Has played in 231 career games in the NBA, while making 40 starts… For his professional career he is averaging 3.9 points and 2.3 rebounds per game… Just finished his first season with the Toronto Raptors in 2010-11.