FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 5. 2004
BASKETBALL
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
11B
KANSAN to March.
Jared Soares/KANSAN
Wayne Simien returned for his senior year at Kansas, despite the possibility of being a high NBA draft pick. Simien is determined to win a national title for the Jayhawks, but basketball isn't the only thing Simien thinks about. After a shoulder injury ended his sophomore season early, Simien got a new outlook on life. Simien says his deep faith in God has improved his entire life.
By B.J. RAINS
brains@kansan.com
KANSAN SPORTSWINTER
Coach Bill Self said that Simien deserves all of the attention.
Simien is already reaping the benefits of his decision to stay for his senior season. Several magazines, including www.cbs.sportsline.com's College Basketball News, have tabbed the 6-foot-9 senior as their National Player of the Year. He was also selected as the Big 12 Preseason Player of the Year by the league's coaches and media.
"I weighed the pros and cons of leaving and staying." Simien said. "There were a lot more reasons for me to stay than for me to go.
The relationships I have built over the last four years. Being able to play another season for Coach Self. The possibility of being able to win a National Championship. They were all big factors."
Wayne Simien will take the court on Sunday night as a college student. As a Jayhawk playing in Allen Fieldhouse instead of a paid professional playing in a corporate arena. The NBA can wait until next year, and that's just fine with him.
"He's just a very mature guy that is almost sometimes too good to be true," Self said.
Along with Simien's personal accolades, the Jayhawks are ranked No. 1 in the nation in the USA TODAY/ESPN Coaches' Poll.
Simien, who would have been a borderline first round pick in the NBA draft last June, thought about a leap to the pro ranks after his junior season but decided to come back and finish what he started in Lawrence.
Simien searches for the title
Among the things the injury did for Simien was help him turn his life around. When things looked like they couldn't get much worse, the frustrated Simien began to look at life differently.
Simien and his teammates say they will accept nothing less
"The shoulder injury gave me a whole different outlook on life," he said. "It made me not want to be defined as just a basketball player."
"It would be a huge disappointment, especially for the seniors," Simien said. "It's something we really want to do. We've come so close the last couple of years, so to come up short would be very disappointing."
Besides playing basketball, Simien has spread God's word throughout his daily activities. By turning his life over to God, his life improved and he wants everyone to know it. Over the summer, he worked at a Christian Basketball Camp in California. Getting to teach kids about basketball, as well as the
Bible, was an exciting experience for him.
During his sophomore year, Simien suffered a dislocated shoulder early in the season and missed the entire NCAA Tournament. He sat and watched as his Jayhawks played and lost in the National Championship game against Syracuse. Although it was painful for Simien to watch, he actually said he benefited from not being on the court.
"It was definitely a frustrating moment for me, but I learned a lot from it," Simien said. "A National Championship would be nice to have right now, but I think the adversity that I went through during that season, really helped me mature as a person
"I pretty much consider myself a full-time minister, sharing with people how God has changed my life over the last few years," Simien said. "That's something that I always want to continue to do. God changed my life through the injury. I want people to know that."
For the first time in a long time Simien is healthy entering the season. He spent most of his summer recovering from a groin injury that plagued him for most of last season.
He also had lingering injuries to his shoulder and ankle, both of which have healed.
Finally 100 percent, Simien is primed for a big season — one which he hopes ends with another trip to St. Louis, which this year will host the Final Four. Besides his dominating presence inside the lane, Simien has worked on his outside shooting.
He was limited to 11 points in the 79-71 overtime loss to Georgia Tech in the Elite Eight last year in St. Louis, a loss which denied the Jayhawks their third consecutive trip to the Final Four.
Simien relied on his faith in making the decision to forego instant fortune by jumping to the NBA. Now, he is out to show people that God helped him make the right decision, both on and off the court.
"He doesn't have bad days," Self said. "When you have guys like Wayne — your best players — working like he works, you get everybody to do that."
Self said Simien's work ethic has infected the team.
than a national title this season.
After coming up short in each of the last three seasons, Simien says not winning the championship would not be acceptable.
Kansan sportswriter Jesse Newell contributed to this story.
Edited by Ryan Greene