+
Volume 126 Issue 88
kansan.com
Wednesday, March 5, 2014
+
COMMENTARY
Black made most of his year
A Kansas player with a Memphis tattoo on his arm will speak to the masses tonight.
Tarik Black only played one year here in Lawrence, and he'll be making a speech typically reserved for those who have spent four years wearing crimson and blue. When Black speaks, he certainly shouldn't be overlooked or penalized because Kansas fans never spent time cursing him as a freshman before he blossomed into a quality role-player off the bench.
In fact, it should be the opposite. This is a unique situation presenting itself on one of the more unique stages college athletics has to offer. Senior Night at Kansas is a special opportunity, and Black will be at its forefront.
“It’s been so intriguing and so interesting.” Black said, “It feels like yesterday I got on campus. That’s crazy to me.”
Black took advantage of the system the NCAA laid out in incoming to spend one last year at the University. He's a thesis paper away from getting his masters in African-American Studies and had the opportunity to play on national television almost every game.
+
This whole season has been special," Black said. "It's probably the fastest season I've played."
He didn't have to come to Kansas, but he took a chance on Bill Self and the foreign land of Lawrence. It's safe to say he feels it was the right decision.
"I've learned so much about basketball, life and myself," Black said, "I was meant to be here. This is where I'm supposed to be. This is life-changing for me."
Black said he learned more about basketball in his one year at Kansas than he ever had before. He credits Self's knowledge and experience for his gain and made sure not to knock his former Memphis coach, Josh Pastner, while doing so, saying Pastner and his players were growing together
Yet, from the outside, it appears Black never wavered. He helped mold Embbid. He was a team spokesman before ever playing one game in the Big 12. And you can't leave out the dunk of the year - the one that sent Wayne Selden Jr. flying down the bench and back again.
Sure, it didn't go as planned for Black. The constant foul issues at the beginning of the year and losing his starting job to a future top-five (No.1) draft pick isn't anything you can plan.
Black was only here for a few months, and he should be remembered for it.
"He's got something about him that I think every kid yearns for," Self said. "He's ultra-positive; his attitude is very, very good; he's got energy and he's always trying to make others better.
"I'll remember that."
- Edited by Cara Winkley
SENIOR NIGHT
FINAL FAREWELL
Seniors to play in last home game, reflect on time with team
FILE PHOTO/KANSAN
BRIAN HILLIX sports@kansan.com
"...I wouldn't change anything. I don't regret my decision coming here."
JUSTIN WESLEY senior basketball player
redshirt senior forward Justin Wesley has undergone some major transitions in his life.
During that time, Wesley's older brother Keith Langford enjoyed an impressive career at Kansas (2001-05) that included two trips to the Final Four. Wesley said he and his mother felt like part of the Jayhawk family, and he even got to attend both trips to the Final Four in 2002 and 2003.
The 6-9, 220-pound Wesley began his collegiate career at Lamar University, where he played one season and averaged 1.2 points per game. Wesley said Lamar was "OK" but had dreamed of playing at Kansas, a place he originally committed to in the fourth grade.
Wesley said it has been a task accepting these different roles, admitting he expected to play more minutes during his jayhawk career.
"I just fell in love with the place, the games and the campus," Wesley said. "I just felt like always in my heart, I wanted to come back."
Wesley kept in touch with Kansas coach Bill Self through the years but decided to attend Lamar. Knowing he had expressed interest in coming back to Lawrence, Self extended an invitation for him to play at Kansas as a walk-on. He jumped on the opportunity.
During his first season in 2011-12, Wesley averaged nearly nine minutes a game for a team that made the National Championship.
While at Kansas, Wesley has transitioned from a key bench contributor his sophomore year to someone who has averaged two to three minutes a game in his last two seasons.
SEE WESLEY PAGE 8B
"At the same time, I wouldn't change anything," Wesley said. "I don't regret my decision
JAMES HOYT/KANSAN
BLAKE SCHUSTER
sports@kansan.com
"This is where I was supposed to be for bigger reasons than even basketball. This was life changing for me."
TARIK BLACK senior basketball player
Black was supposed to lead his hometown team, the Memphis Tigers, back to the Final Four. To help Josh Pastner establish himself as an elite young coach and to continue onto a professional career long after his eligibility ended.
Tarik Black was not supposed to play his last home game in Allen Fieldhouse. He was not supposed to have a Masters degree from the University of Kansas. He was never supposed to land in Lawrence.
This is not how Black saw his life turning out. And he's happier that way.
"This is where I was supposed to be for bigger reasons than even basketball," Black said of his transfer to Kansas. "This was life changing for me."
Not even his second chance went according to plan.
When Black decided to play his last year of college basketball in Lawrence it was to give himself an opportunity to play big minutes on the game's biggest stage with a chance to play for bigger stakes.
Way back at the start of the season, Kansas coach Bill Self announced that Black could play as much as possible. That he would be relied on from the start.
"Not very often do you recruit a senior that's already started three years," Self said at Kansas' media day. "And have him come in and be as well respected and basically be the leader of our big guys already."
Black was expected to come in and mentor Joel Embiid. Midway through the non-conference schedule he lost his starting spot to
SEE BLACK PAGE 8B
FILE PHOTO/KANSAN
BLAIR SHEADE
sports@kansan.com
“it's been great being reunited with my dad and my whole family. He's done a lot to help me with my game.”
NIKO ROBERTS senior basketball player
ine New York native didn't play much as a Jayhawk, only averaging two minutes per game in his career. Roberts was known to cheer and motivate the rest of the team on, and he was happy with that role.
Roberts thought his time at Kansas has been really fun, but has gone by really fast. He said he will miss the brotherhood of teammates the most. A lot of things people don't see are the team hangouts in the locker rooms and dorms, and the team joking around.
For senior guard Niko Roberts, the Jayhawks have always equaled family.
"I love my teammates so much, I just want to see them all succeed." Roberts said about his role as a team cheerleader. "Every time they score and every time they do anything I'm truly happy for them."
"It's something I'll remember forever," Rob erts said about his time at Kansas.
Niko's dad, Norm Roberts, is one of the basketball assistants and first worked with Bill Self in 1996 at Oral Roberts and has worked with him for 12 years. Self has known Niko the longest out of everyone on the team and has always seen Niko as family. Self said he spanked Niko a couple of times when Self use to babysit.
"I got a couple of beatings; I'm not going to lie," Roberts said about Self spanking him.
Roberts coming to Kansas to play basketball allowed him to spend time with his father.
"it's been great being reunited with my dad and my whole family," Roberts said. "He's done a lot to help me with my game."
But when asked if Roberts would follow his
SEE ROBERTS PAGE 8B
+