6B
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
BASKETBALL
FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 5, 2004
Miles leads Jayhawks on the court, jokes off of it
By Bill Cross
bcross@kansan.com
KANSAN SPORTSWINTER
On a team with four seniors, Aaron Miles stands above the rest as a leader.
But the way he's responded to the role makes him unique, Self said.
"He's in that role because the ball's in his hands," coach Bill Self said.
"He cares more than anybody I've ever coached," he said. "He cares about how I'm feeling. He cares about how his teammates are feeling, what's going on with recruiting, how we're eating."
Miles, who has been a point guard for his entire basketball career, said he'd always found himself in the leadership role.
As a college freshman, Miles was the starting point guard on a team that featured current NBA players Drew Gooden, Kirk Hinrich and Nick Collison.
As the only starter in a star-studded freshman class, Miles was thrust into a leadership role.
"All my life, people have told
me a point guard's supposed to be a leader," Miles said. "That's something I believe."
Miles said he would step up his leadership even more this year.
"This is my last year, and I want it to be the best," Miles said. "Anything that I see that could be detrimental, I'm going to speak up and try to fix it."
Senior forward Wayne Simien said Miles' leadership in the locker room was different than his on-court leadership.
"He's a clown off the court.
On the court, he's a general,
a master at what he does," Simien said.
"On the court, he's matured so much. Off the court,
I don't think he's matured any at all."
Simien said Miles' favorite pranks mirrored the humor of the Three Stooges.
"He does slapstick stuff," he said. "I don't think too many people could tolerate him like we do."
Miles said he sometimes felt like a freshman.
"I'm remember the first time at Late Night when we sang Michael Jackson songs to our
mothers," he said. "It's gone by real fast."
And now Miles has a chance to tutor the next generation of jayhawks.
For the first time in his career, he has a protégé: freshman guard Russell Robinson.
"He's a big reason I came." Robinson said of Miles. "He's helped me adjust to college life a lot easier."
Senior guard Mike Lee, who has played with Miles at Jefferson High School in Portland, Ore., said the team's five freshmen would have an opportunity to learn from a natural leader.
"What he's doing now is what he's always been doing," Lee said of Miles. "He's always been a leader and he's always looked out for his teammates."
Lee said "fearless" was the best word to describe his longtime friend and teammate.
"If a big dude's trying to push Wayne, Aaron will be the first one to try to step up," he said. "He's got a lot of guts."
Edited by Johanna M. Maska
Kansan file photo
Kansas senior point guard Aaron Miles celebrates the Jayhawks' home victory against Missouri last season. Miles has been a starter since his freshman year. This year, he hopes to play a crucial role in leading the Jayhawks to a national championship.
Jayhawk counts military family as reason for success
BY JESSE NEWELL
jnewell@kansan.com
KANSAN SPORTSWINTER
Aquanita Burras talks about Michael Jordan, but if you pay close attention you start to understand the real influence in her life.
that you can be."
Growing up for a time in North Carolina and watching the Chicago Bulls games with her parents, Burras said the guard affected her by showing her the correct way to play.
"He was an influence on me," the 5-foot-9 senior guard said, "by teaching me to be the best
After saying the last part, Burras paused and couldn't help but smile. She has been in a military family too long.
"Wait, that's an Army term," Burras said.
BURRAS
But she knows the military has been instrumental in allowing her to be here.
Growing up in a military family, Burras moved during her childhood to numerous locations throughout the United States, including Colorado, North Carolina and Alaska.
More than anything, the travel confirmed what it was that she loved to do: play basketball.
"I was able to travel and do the things that I was able to do to get myself here." Burras said. "Everything was worth it."
Burras said she also gained experience from the various moves and was able to learn more about the game.
"The way that I got into basketball was by my father," Burras said. "By me traveling to different places, it gives you a different opportunity to see what other competition is out there and how people are able to play."
In her two seasons at Kansas, Burras has been one of the most consistent players on the squad. She averaged 10.1 points per game last year after posting 10.5 points her sophomore season and has scored at least 10 points in 31 of her 57 games as a Jayhawk.
"Aqua has an ability to get to the rim and has some athletics on the perimeter," said coach Bonnie Henrickson.
Burras also grabbed 5.8
rebounds per game last season, despite being one of the shortest players on the court.
Junior teammate Erica Hallman said she admired Burras because of her dedication to making herself better in the offseason.
"She works hard, definitely in the weight room," Hallman said. "I think she's our hardest worker in the weight room, and you can probably see it from the cuts on her arms."
Burras said despite her shorter stature, she had always had a secret desire to play inside as a post player. She might just get
the opportunity this year, with Kansas experiencing both a lack of depth and size on the team.
"I was told that I might be down there," Burras said. "Last year, I had a little dose of it. I'm looking forward to it, though."
Burras said she was prepared to do a little more in what will be her final year as a Jayhawk.
"I've taken on that leadership role this year," Burras said. "We just have three seniors and a smaller team, so we have to fit together anywhere we can."
Edited by Stephanie Lovett
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