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KANSAN.COM/SPORTS | MONDAY, MAY 1, 2017
Mason, Jackson, Mykhailiuk invited to NBA Combine
Freshman guard Josh Jackson drives to the basket in the first half against Purdue on March 23 in Kansas City. Kansas defeated Purdue, 98-66, to advance to the Elite Eight. Missy Minear/KANSAN
► AMIE JUST
@Amie_Just
rank Mason III, Josh Jackson and Svi Mykhailiuk have all received invites to the 2017 NBA Combine, a Kansas Athletics official confirmed to the Kansan on Saturday.
The 2017 NBA Combine takes place from May 9-14 in Chicago.
Mason averaged 20.9 points, 5.2 assists and 4.2 rebounds during his award-winning senior campaign.
Mason finished his career at sixth in the Kansas program leaderboards in both points and assists. He hauled in countless awards, including the Wooden Award, the James Naismith Trophy, the Associated Press Player of the Year award, the NABC Player of the Year award, the Bob Cousy Award, just to name a few.
Jackson and Mykhailiuk both entered the draft pool before their eligibility was up.
Jackson declared for the draft after his freshman season and hired an agent on April 17.
Jackson finished the year averaging 16.3 points, 7.4 rebounds and three assists. Because of his efforts, he won eight Big 12
weekly awards - a Kansas program record - and won the Big 12 Freshman of the Year award en route to his first team All-Big 12 status.
He averaged eight points, three rebounds and 1.9 steals per game during his junior season.His name was also in numerous places in the Big 12 leaderboard. He was eighth in three-point field goal percentage (38.9 percent) and
Mykhailiuk declared for the draft after his junior season and chose not to hire an agent.
eighth in three-point field goals made (1.9 per game).
Since Mykhailiuk hasn't hired an agent, he has until May 24 to decide if he wants to continue on in the draft process or return to Kansas for his senior season.
In some of the latest mock drafts, Jackson is either pegged to go third to the Los Angeles Lakers, or be selected second by the Phoenix Suns. Mason is as high as No. 23 on some draft boards, but is left off on others. Mykhailiuk's
name hasn't appeared on any draft boards.
The NBA Draft lottery will take place on May 16., deciding the order of this year's draft. The NBA Draft will be held on June 22.
Senior Column: Relishing in a great, unexpected experience
▶ BRENDAN DZWIERZYNSKI
@BrendanDzw
If you're well versed in cliches, you probably know the phrase "it's better to be lucky than good" all too well. This absolutely applies to sports, because no winner, no champion, completes the journey without at least a little luck.
For me, the phrase applies a little differently. I can't tell you if anything I've written in the past is any good, but I can tell you that I'm lucky to have gotten the chance to write for The University Daily Kansan.
It's still surreal to me that I've been able to see my name in a newspaper. In high school I never even considered working for our school paper, because I thought only pretentious, elitist kids did so. Honestly, I foolishly thought the same thing after getting to the University. But, after being a Kansan copy editor for a class and getting the chance to be a sports columnist this semester, I've realized how wrong I was.
I've learned a lot about people, about writing and about myself while working for the Kansan. I've been able to learn what people react the strongest to, what
does the best job provoking thought and, of course, what opinions anger people the most. With that last piece in mind, I have one piece of advice for every sports columnist: Don't speak poorly of the Masters.
This semester I had a ton of fun being able to cover a myriad of interesting topics. I loved writing about the bright future for Kansas football. I enjoyed arguing about Kyrie Irving's flat-earth beliefs. I was able to express my feelings with raw emotion when writing about Aaron Hernandez's death.
To write a column week in and week out for you has been a blessing, one I never thought I'd receive."
Getting to discuss burning sports topics with an audience is a dream for many people, myself included. To write a column week in and week out for you has been a blessing, one I never thought I'd receive. All in all, working at the Kansan has been a wonderful experience, one in which I've made lifelong friends and had opportunities that I know will help me wherever I end up in my professional life.
I have one more story about how unexpected my time as a Kansan columnist has been. A good friend of
mine growing up used to always tell me I should be a writer, because despite rarely doing homework in classes, not reading material in time, etc., I always did well on writing assignments. She was adamant that published writing was in my future, and would remind me of it frequently.
In this semester's "Bracket Bash" special section of the Kansan, a column I wrote about why there was no reason why Kansas couldn't win the NCAA tournament (let's ignore the actual outcome here for a moment) was featured on the front page of the print edition. That was one of the coolest things that I've ever seen. I instantly thought back to my friend when I saw the page, and I came to realize that maybe she had a pretty good idea all those years ago.
I don't know if writing, or the print field in general, is where I'm headed in the future. The adult, working world is a scary place — one that has concerned generations of college seniors. That said, I know my opportunities at the Kansan will always stick with me and help me. I've worked with some incredible people in my time at this paper, and I hope they've appreciated working with me as much I've appreciated working with them (copy editor's note: we do).
My scalding-hot takes will live on; it's just unfortunate they won't do so for such a great publication like the Kansan.
Astley Hocking/KANSAN Cornerback Brandon Stewart blocks a TCU football player during the football game at Memorial Stadium on Oct. 8.
Ashley Hockina/KANSAN
Two Jayhawks sign with NFL
► AMIE JUST
@Amie_Just
Fish Smithson has found his NFL home. After not hearing his name called during the 2017 NFL Draft, the Washington Redskins signed the 5-foot-11, 190 pound safety out of Baltimore.
Smithson made a teamhigh 93 tackles during his senior campaign, with 70 of those coming as solo tackles. He also led Kansas with six pass breakups and four interceptions. Smithson forced two fumbles, made 2.5 tackles for loss and added a sack and fumble recovery too. Because of his efforts, he earned first-team All-Big 12 honors by the coaches and second-team All-Big 12
The Kansas safety announced the signing himself on a new Twitter account, which was later confirmed by Master Tesfatson of the Washington Post. The Kansas football account then sent out a Tweet about his signing.
honors from the Associated Press voters.
During his junior season, Smithson led the Big 12 with 87 solo tackles and led the nation with an average of 7.9 solo tackles per game. His 87 solo tackles was second in the country as well. He added two interceptions and five pass breakups that season, earning second-team All-Big 12 honors during Kansas' 0-12 season.
Brandon Stewart, a cornerback, signed with the Los
Of Washington's 10 draft picks, it drafted four other secondary players — Fabian Moreau, a cornerback out of UCLA, Montae Nicholson, a safety out of Michigan State, Josh Harvey-Clemons, a safety out of Louisville and Josh Holsey, a defensive back out of Auburn. There was some other Big 12 flavor as well, as the Redskins drafted Oklahoma's star running back in Samaje Perine in the fourth round.
Smithson wasn't the only Kansas player to ink with a team in free agency.
Stewart started all 12 games for Kansas this past season and totaled 25 tackles, three interceptions, eight pass breakups and one touchdown.
Angeles Chargers. He played two seasons at Kansas after playing at Trinity Valley Community College for two seasons.
During his junior season, Stewart had 35 tackles, one forced fumble and a blocked kick in his nine games started.
Stewart will be the second Jayhawk on the Chargers' roster, as he joins Darrell Stuckey, an eight-year veteran safety. Stewart is already listed on the Chargers' roster.
Other Jayhawks currently in the NFL include Chris Harris Jr. and Aqib Talib of the Denver Broncos; Ben Heeney and Dexter McDonald of the Oakland Raiders; Steven Johnson of the Pittsburgh Steelers, Bradley McDougal of the Seattle Seahawks, JaCorey Shepherd of the San Francisco 49ers, and Stuckey.
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