Jayhawk fans pack Wichita stop on KU basketball barnstorming

When he was 8 many years outdated, Lane Stanberry did not show up early plenty of amid the 1000’s of KU supporters in Wichita hoping to safe an autograph from the seniors on the 2008 countrywide championship staff.

The Wichita indigenous didn’t make the exact mistake again. Stanberry was first in line at Wichita East Superior School on Saturday for the to start with event to kick off KU’s 2022 countrywide championship barnstorming tour, showing up at 7:30 a.m. when the doorways did not open up till 1:30 p.m. for VIP ticket holders.

“I’ve been a KU lover given that I was a tiny child and I adore these barnstorming occasions for the reason that of the access and becoming capable to fulfill the men and women you root for and watch the overall year,” Stanberry said. “When they announced that all but one particular of the players were heading to be listed here, I was shocked. I bought tickets quickly. I was not likely to miss anything like this. How lots of possibilities are there heading to be like this to have pretty much the whole group in this article?”

Stanberry was a person of an estimated 3,000 supporters who waited in line for hours in the 80-diploma warmth, hoping to get a compact piece of memorabilia signed by their beloved Jayhawks. The line of general admission ticket-holders was so lengthy that it wrapped all close to the aspect of East Higher Faculty and extended very clear again to the intersection of Douglas and Grove.

As opposed to that 2008 workforce wherever only the seniors whose NCAA eligibility had expired could take part, all but one (David McCormack was the only player lacking) of the 18 players on KU’s 2021-22 roster ended up in attendance in Wichita on Saturday, many thanks to the NIL rules.

While it was the very first halt on the barnstorming tour, which is expected to finalize dates and stops all about the condition early upcoming 7 days, it was significantly from the initial time the Jayhawks have felt like a touring rock star display due to the fact defeating North Carolina, 72-69, to win the national title.

“It was insane actually seeing the line outdoors,” KU senior Mitch Lightfoot stated. “It was pretty crazy when we pulled up. Jayhawk supporters are remarkable. Being in a position to see our admirers and interact with them and have that experience, I assume is some thing these men price and I worth myself.”

The previous 3 months have been a whirlwind for the players, but they do not brain getting whisked from city to metropolis to rejoice the accomplishment. They figure out the value of the victory.

“This workforce is like the pinnacle of Kansas basketball,” mentioned Ochai Agbaji, the Last Four’s Most Superb Player. “We have a bunch of really hard-performing men who labored hard for this. It was under no circumstances offered to us. We acquired anything this season.”

“All the difficult function all over the whole calendar year paid off,” KU starter Jalen Wilson reported. “It feels very good to get, so most people else receives a piece of it. The supporters get to share it. This is even bigger than us. Not only did we earn, everybody wins. I’m just joyful everyone will get to rejoice.”

The most pressing query 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. When decisions to declare are anticipated by the trio, they weren’t completely ready to give an formal announcement on Saturday in advance of Monday’s deadline.

“I’ve imagined about it a large amount, in the course of the period and every thing that goes into it,” Wilson said. “It’s a selection I’ll make with my family members and consider about almost everything that plays into it. Actually, I’m nevertheless coming off the higher of successful. There’s been so considerably likely on these past two weeks. It is a large amount.”

The query arrived up once more in the short dilemma-and-reply session from the enthusiasts, as 1 asked if Braun and Wilson would be returning to KU following period.

“If we get Ochai back again, 100%,” Wilson joked, laughing.

The quick media session was largely light-weight-hearted, as Lightfoot joked about his position as the all-time winningest player in KU basketball record following ending his 6-12 months vocation with 171 games.

“Shoot, you stay close to for 6 a long time something is feasible,” Lightfoot explained, laughing. “All jokes aside, it is been incredible. I arrived to this university wanting to be a smaller piece of it and go on the tradition and I experienced the chance to do that. I’m tremendous grateful and super grateful to the guys I performed with, the coaches, the followers. It’s been a life-changing practical experience. I wouldn’t change it for anything.”

“I’m astonished he hasn’t figured out a way to get another year,” Wilson cracked. “He’s a person of the Kansas OG’s. Which is what we phone him. He’s been right here for a extended time and labored tricky and for him to acquire his past 12 months was insane.”

Following 6 years in Lawrence, Lightfoot said he was ready for lifetime immediately after KU basketball.

“I want to go play skillfully and play ball, no matter if that’s abroad or anywhere,” Lightfoot claimed. “I’m however striving to figure that out. I want to maintain taking part in ball. I have nonetheless obtained a enthusiasm for it, however acquired the legs for it. Most people retains telling me to go chase that aspiration. Don’t have any regrets about it. Yo
u can’t go back again when you are done, so just keep chasing it.”

Following two-furthermore several hours of signing autographs, the players did a small problem-and-answer session with the admirers in the stands adopted by a speedy visual appeal from 2008 hero Mario Chalmers on the microphone.

The players also performed a fifty percent-pace recreation of entire-court basketball for the supporters, 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 docket next the video game to sign autographs for a team of younger lovers who experienced not been equipped to get anything signed earlier in the working day. Previously in the day, the players mentioned they liked the conversation with fans and the more time the barnstorming tour afforded them with their teammates.

“It’s pleasurable, likely to all these tours and currently being around these men and still staying able to participate in with this exact group,” Agbaji claimed. “Even at the conclusion (of the time), we even now preferred to play additional because we like every single other so substantially.”