SPORTS
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
FORMER STUDENTS LEAD GROUP OF WIZARDS SOCCER FANATICS
BASKETBALL
PAGE 10B
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 24, 2007
WWW.KANSAN.COM
PAGE1B
'Knight School' member happy to play
BY RUSTIN DODD
This is a story about walk-ons. It's a story about grit, perseverance, and dreams. It's a story about the Rudys of the world, the Christian Moodys, and the Tyler Hoffmeisters.
BASKETBALL
Who's Tyler Hoffmeister?
He's the familiar-looking guy at the tucked-away table at Big 12 basketball media day. He's the guy sitting thirty-feet across the room from Texas sophomore DJ Augustin as a reporter chats up the pre-season-Big 12 player of the year. He's the guy sitting diagonal from Bill Self, as the Kansas coach holds court with a group of roaming reporters.
It's an organized maelstrom at Big 12 basketball media day, but there's Hoffmeister in the corner, sitting alone while reporters scratch their heads, wondering about the kid with the balding head, gawky smile, and squinty eyes. So why does he look so familiar?
Three years ago Tyler Hoffmeister never imagined he would be sitting in a room full of reporters being interviewed along with some of the best college basketball players in the country.
Hoffmeister thought he left his basketball career behind in The Woodlands High School in The Woodlands, Texas, a suburb of Houston. He wanted to go to college at a big university with a good medical program. But after two years of sweaty afternoons on the basketball court at the rec center, Hoffmeister stumbled upon an opportunity. This one was historic. Right up there with Thomas Jefferson saying "Hey Lewis and Clark, do you want to explore the Louisiana purchase?"
Whoa — wait — It's the kid from Knight School!
Hoffmeister got the chance to play for legendary Texas Tech head coach Bob Knight. You know, Bobby Knight, the chairthrowing, sound byte spewing, master of the motion offense?
Well in February 2006, Knight and ESPN collaborated on a reality show titled "Knight School." The show planned to award a walk-on spot on the Texas Tech basketball team to a regular student. Hoffmeister was one of 16 students picked to appear on the show.
"When the show started," Hoffmeister said, "I knew I had a pretty good chance because I had played against most of those other guys at the rec center."
The 6-foot-6 forward ended up being right. Hoffmeier survived the show, and Bob Knight offered him a spot at the end of the Texas Tech bench.
Fast-forward a year and a half later and Hoffmeier still hasn't stopped smiling.
"If you would have told me three years ago that I'd be at the Big 12 media day, I would never would have believed you," Hoffmeister said.
This is Hoffmeister's second season on the team. Last year, he played in four games His career high in minutes came when he scored played four minutes against the University of Arkansas — Little Rock. He still hasn't missed a shot in his Texas Tech career. He was one for one last season, and he received a standing ovation when he scored his first point.
Conventional wisdom — and a television announcer or two — usually suggests that people can simply identify with walk-ons. They see the kids from the end of the bench run into the game as the clock winds down and they think, hey, I could be that guy.
Why do people love walk-ons so much?
But there's more.
SEED DODD ON PAGE 8B
At Kansas, walk-ons are so much more than the players who get to play during the rock chalk chant. They define Kansas basketball. They're the kids who go 100 miles per hour every day at practice with the full knowledge that they aren't going to play. You could make a three-page list of former Kansas walk-ons who could have been on scholarship at another school, but instead
KANSAN FILE PHOTO
Walk-on basketball players go through all the same stresses as scholarship players. But they don't get scholarships or see as much court time as their recruited teammates. Walk-ons typically make the team by excelling in open tryouts.
Living the dream as walk-ons
Witherspoon returns for second season
BY MARK DENT mdent@kansan.com
The chant would carry from the student section to the ears of Kansas coach Bill Self near the end of blowouts last season;
"Bra-ad Wither-spoon." "Bra-ad Wither-spoon."
Brennan Bechard and Matt Kleinmann
dove for loose balls during their mop-
up minutes. Mario Chalmer and Darrell Arthur relaxed and enjoyed the victory. Brad Witherspoon sat alone at the far end of the bench focused on the court like hed never seen a basketball game before. The fans would keep screaming until their favorite walk-on knelt in front of the scorer's table:
"Bra-ad Wither-spoon" "Bra-ad Wither-spoon."
This year the chants will continue. Witherspoon, who walked-on after trying out last year, is back for a final season.
"He's withstood the test of time with me. He works hard and has been a good teammate."
"He withstood the test of time with me," Self said. "He works hard and has been a good teammate. So yeah, he'll be back. I like Brad a lot."
Coaches selected Witherspoon to walk on for the team after he tried out with 16 other players. Held finally made the team after trying out and being turned down the previous two years. For a Humboldt native who turned down junior college offers to pursue his goal of becoming a walk-on, it was a dream come true.
Few KU basketball stories tugged at the heart like Witherspoon's did last year. When school started last year he was a normal student. Ree Center courts were the only ones he thought he'd be playing on last winter. It all changed Oct. 18.
The experience only got better as the sea.
son went on. Witherspoon only played 17 minutes all year, but he enjoyed them. The biggest highlight came in February against Nebraska. Witherspoon put his stamp on the blowout when he received an inbounds pass and laid the ball in as the clock ticked away. His basket meant every Kansas player scored that day.
BILL SELF Coach
"It was a great experience, probably the best thing I've done my entire life,"
Witherpoon said. "Just being around these guys everyday, coming to practice, playing in the Fieldhouse every day and running out of the tunnel for games were the best."
Teahan and Chase Buford to walk on for the team, extending the roster to 17 players. Witherspoon expected Self to meet him at some point before school ended, but he never did.
Witherspoon's return seemed in doubt soon after the season ended. Self invited freshmen Conner
So Witherspoon stayed. He stayed for summer weights. He stayed for the pick up games. He stayed for the conditioning runs.
"I like having Spoon around, man," said Jackson, a senior forward. "He never talks negative, never downs anybody and he's always encouraging everybody. Even if I'm having a bad day in practice, he'll be like 'D-Block, you all right man. Come on, let's do it. Let's finish strong.' Sometimes you need that person to come up to you when you're
The coaches never told him to leave, and soon it was time for practice to start. Witherspoon was officially back, Teammates such as Darnell jackson liked Witherspoon's attitude and were glad hed be playing for another year.
CEE WITHERSPOON ON PAGE 8B
Buford uses criticism as fuel to be better
BY MARK DENT
mdent@kansan.com
The whispers started in middle school
The whispers started in middle school. "He's only here because of his dad," and, "He's not good enough."
Chase Buford has dealt with expectations and criticism from being the son of San Antonio Spurs general manager and former Kansas graduate assistant R.C.Buford nearly all his life. Now, as an invited freshman walk-on, Buford is ready to make sure Kansas fans don't just think of him as R.C.'s son.
"it's something that I'm not always happy someone knows." Butford said about his father's basketball celebrity. "I don't go around boasting or anything. I try to live my life as normal as I can."
Buford's likely not going to draw too much ire from fans during his stint as a walk-on, but he did when he signed in May. Message boards lit up. Walk-ons usually don't cause that kind of commotion, but when you're the son of R.C. Buford, people take notice. Buford said "more people than you know" expressed disapproval of his
signing on message boards.
"He didn't even play last year yet gets to walk on at KU? Hmmmmmm?" one user wrote on Phognet.
"No one is ever going to say that to my face but with message boards and whatnot, people bring it up to me all the time." Buford
the doctor every week and kept hearing he wasn't ready yet.
said. "I try not to look at it, but I know what's going on. It really doesn't keep me down. It's fuel to get better."
"I don't go around boasting or anything. I try to live my life as normal as I can."
The weeks passed by, and Buford's spleen was still too vulnerable. He missed the entire season.
"I just tried to not let it get me down too much." Buford said. "I am a carefree person. I try not to let it get me down really. I had a good time. I don't have any regrets or anything about how the year ended up. It's just something that happens; you have to live with it. It worked out for me in the end."
Buford, a San Antonio, Texas native, had to deal with more than just the usual scrutiny his senior season. A doctor diagnosed him with mononucleosis during the first week of basketball practice. He went back to
It worked out because Buford still had the opportunity to decide between walk-on offers from Texas, Virginia and Kansas. He picked the Jayhawks because of the tradition and to get away from his home state of Texas.
When he arrived in Lawrence this summer, he was ready to start a new life and broaden his perspective. But his game wasn't ready. The time off from mono made him run a step slower and shoot a bit awkwardly. Buford said he "couldn't throw the ball into the ocean from the beach."
The rust started wearing off as the summer went on, and he was in good enough
CHASE BUFORD Walk-on
shape by the time practice started. Teammates began to notice his work ethic and ability to play anywhere on the court despite his 6'3" 200 pound size.
"He holds down the big guys — Sasha, Darrrell, Cole and I," senior forward Darnell Jackson said. "He's down there pushing us."
there passing us around. He's just strong; I don't know where he gets his strength from. Chase has a big heart. He's not scared of anything."
Buford knows that his playing time will be limited this season and probably
SEE BUFORD ON PAGE 8B
top 5 ku walk-on moments since 1990
1. In 2005 Christian Moody (2002-2006) went up for a dunk against Kentucky his junior year and landed as "the best walk-on in the history of college basketball!" At least, that's what Billy Packer said. Packer may have forgotten a few names (hello, Jeff Hornacek), but this is probably the most recognition any walk-on has ever received.
2. McGath the other players had bets that C.B.
McGrath (1994-1998) would cry on his
Senior Day in 1998, McGrath assured them he wouldn't. Then, he mentioned his coach, Roy Williams.
"I want to thank Coach Williams." He started choking up and covering his face. "Just for giving me a chance."
— Type "C.B. McGrath" on YouTube to see it.
3. Anytime T.J. Whatley (1992-1996) entered a game. He was Adam Morrison before Adam Morrison, Nobody in a
1
KU uniform has made a mustache look better.
— Go to jaillive.com to see the band's music videos.
4. This didn't happen when Scott Novosel (1994-1995) was still playing for Kansas, but it's too cool not to include. Novosel is living in Tokyo and is the lead man for a Japanese rap/ rock and roll group called Jal Live. And we thought Scott Pollard was strange.
5. Walk-ons rarely play in NCAA Tournament games, much less score. That's why Brett Ballard (2000-2002) makes this list. He scored eight points in 18 minutes in the Jayhawks' 2001 first round victory against Cal State Northridge. Ballard followed it up with 14 minutes against Syracuse in the next round.
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