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COLEGE BASKETBALL

Younger Jayhawks can't rest on laurels

OKLAHOMA CITY, Okla. — Who knew that the beginning of practice could seem like vacation for a basketball coach?

Kansas' Bill Self understands that after spending the past six months celebrating the Jayhawks' first NCAA championship in 20 years, while also using the title to his advantage.

The demand for Self as a speaker nationally and in Kansas increased. More top high school players found KU an attractive option. And Self spent more time than he liked away from home.

"While the iron's hot," Self said Thursday during the annual gathering of Big 12 coaches, players and media.

"My life has been hectic. It's been busy and wild, but it still beats work. I'm probably less busy now coaching our team than I have been the last six months."

Sherron Collins, the junior guard for Kansas, described the time since the Jayhawks beat Memphis for the title as "a roller-coaster ride that stayed at the top."

Eventually, of course, the car has to descend, and Collins might know that as well as anybody.

The Jayhawks are preparing to defend their title without six of their top seven scorers. Collins is the only one who returned.

Gone are Brandon Rush, Darrell Arthur, Mario Chalmers, Darnell Jackson, Sasha Kaun and Russell Robinson.

As a result, the Big 12 coaches picked Kansas to finish tied for third place with Baylor. Oklahoma finished first in votes, followed by Texas.

That's an unfamiliar position for Kansas.

The Jayhawks were the top selection in the preseason poll nine of the previous 12 years.

Only once before have they been picked lower than second \— No. 3 in 2003-04.

They have usually met expectations within the league, winning eight regular-season titles and six conference tournament championships.

Nationally, Kansas has been ranked anywhere from No. 17 (Blue Ribbon Yearbook) to not at all (Sporting News, ESPN.com, SLAM).

Self says it is too early to determine whether the Jayhawks are better than some might anticipate.

"I don't think we're very good right now at all," Self said. "I do think we have a chance to get good, because I think we have some nice pieces, but there's much less margin for error. Last year, Darnell gets hurt, you put Sasha in there."

Collins, who averaged 9.3 points a game last season, has seven new teammates from a recruiting class ranked No. 2 in the country by Rivals.com and 12th by Scout.com. Five of the newcomers are freshmen.

Marcus Morris, a 6-foot-8-inch forward, is the top-rated high school prospect to arrive at Kansas this season \— No. 29 nationally, according to Rivals.

But Tyshawn Taylor, a point guard ranked No. 77 in the freshman class, has created the most excitement.

Taylor averaged a modest 10 points a game last season at St. Anthony High in Jersey City, N.J., but he also averaged five assists for a team that finished 32-0, winning USA Today's mythical national championship. Since arriving at Kansas, Taylor has revealed himself as somebody who can make baskets, as well as assist on them.

Kansas provides an example of how college basketball works at the highest level in the modern era.

The Jayhawks won the NCAA championship last season because players who could have left school for the NBA, Rush and Arthur, elected to return, Rush because he suffered a knee injury.

Now the Jayhawks undergo radical reconstruction because players with eligibility remaining left for the NBA \— Rush, Arthur and Chalmers.

Oklahoma has been picked to win the league because 6-10 Blake Griffin chose to return as a sophomore despite the prospect of becoming an NBA draft lottery pick.

Griffin, preseason selection as Big 12 player of the year, was an exceptional force inside last season. He has since improved his ball handling and shooting on the perimeter.

Oklahoma has three other returning starters and a dynamic new guard, Willie Warren. A McDonald's All-American last season, Warren averaged 25 points a game for North Crowley High in Texas.

"He can score from anywhere," Griffin said.

Warren is a potential asset who can help Griffin.

"If we can shoot, we can be good," OU coach Jeff Capel said, "because Blake is going to be double- and triple-teamed."

Mark Rosner writes for the