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Gold medal-winning Jayhawks return to great welcome
DYLAN SHERWOOD
@dmantheman2011
After a three-week journey to Gwangju, South Korea, the Kansas men's basketball team returned home Wednesday with gold medals in hand from the World University Games.
This is the USA's first gold medal in men's basketball at the World University Games since 2005.
"It feels good to be back; it was a week too long, though," coach Bill Self said. "The fact with playing and winning [is that] the guys really enjoyed it."
Senior forward Perry Ellis addresses the crowd at Hoglund Ballpark as teammates Sviatoslav Mykhailliuk, Wayne Selden Jr., Jamari Traylor and Devonte' Graham stand by Wednesday, July 15.
Self said the World University Games was an incredible experience for his team. He mentioned how his team played well with SMU guard Nic Moore and Florida Gulf Coast guard Julian DeBose on the team, even while missing sophomore guards Sviatoslav Mykhailiuk, Devonte' Graham, junior guard Brannen Greene and freshman forward Cheick Diallo.
Diallo arrived in Lawrence while the team was in Korea and was introduced in front of the crowd during the homecoming celebration.
Self said it was different playing international teams but overall everyone on the U.S. team had fun playing the game. He hopes this is a momentum changer going into next season.
"Ihope it's a springboard [into next season]," Self said. "I don't think anyone saw us winning the gold medal." Junior guard Wayne Selden, who
started as a good contributor during his first two years at Kansas, had breakout moments in the World University Games as the top scorer among all teams, averaging 19.3 points per game in eight games. Selden said he thinks of this as a confidence booster going into next season.
MACKENZIE CLARK/KANSAI
"It helps us all," Selden said. "We all competed as a team [...] seeing guys step up all different types of ways over there [in South Korea], it helped everybody out."
When senior forward Perry Ellis decided to return to Kansas for another year, he said he knew there was more to be done for the Kansas program. Ellis said this was the first gold medal he has worn since his high school days at Wichita Heights High School in Wichita, where he competed in track and field in addition to basketball.
Ellis said he's exhausted after all the games but glad to be home. He hopes this experience can bring some momentum going into next season.
"It's an honor just to do this," he said. "It's my last year, and I want to make it the best and that was a great opportunity to do this."
Winning a gold medal gives the Jayhawks momentum and experience before the beginning of the season on Oct. 9 at Late Night in the Phog. If Kansas fans liked what the Jayhawks did in South Korea, they may be just that much more excited for next season because of it.
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