WEDNESDAY, JULY 23, 2008
Sports
WWW.KANSAN.COM
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
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CONTRIBUTED PHOTO
Kansas assistant coach Kurtis Townsend said Taylor's leadership qualities might compare to former Kansas guard Russell Robinson.
Taylor (second from the left) has opted to wear No.15 next season.The same number as former Kansas guard Mario Chalmers.
CONTRIBUTED PHOTO
TAYLOR (CONTINUED FROM 18)
Townsend said. "He seems like a natural leader and a guy who wants to get better everyday and will do whatever it takes."
Fairly or unfairly, the comparisons of Taylor's game have already begun to match up against two of the Univeristy's recently departed guards
from that national championship team: Russell Robinson and Mario Chalmers. Taylor, who should see plenty of their minutes next season and is two inches taller than both, brings an east coast toughness to Kansas just as Robinson did. And Taylor will wear Chalmers' old digits
next season — No.15.
"He might have the leadership qualities of Russell," said Townsend, not wanting to bunch the three guards together. "I don't know if he quite shoots it as good as Mario, but he knows how to score. I think he's got some qualities the other guys have, but I think he's going to be his own player."
Taylor said the toughest part of moving to the Midwest was leaving his family members behind. Maintaining a winning tradition at the University just as the previous guards did should make him feel right at home.
— Edited by Rustin Dodd
TRANSFER
Versatile guard boasts Juco hardware
A champion on the Juco level, Tyrone Appleton fills hole in Jayhawk backcourt
BY CASE KEEFER
ckeefer@kansan.com
Incoming guard Tyrone Appleton and the eight Jayhawks returning from last year's team have something in common they're all former national champions.
Appleton led his junior college team, Midland College, to a national championship his freshman year. Now, the junior joins a team defending the Division I national title next season.
"It's a big adjustment." Appleton said. "But if you're a basketball player, you've got to get used to it."
Championships aren't where the similarities between Midland and Kansas end. Much like the Jayhawks last season, the Chaparrals relied on a number of players to score equally instead of following the lead of a superstar.
Appleton was the second leading scorer on the team with 13 points per
game. He also dished out five assists and grabbed nearly two steals per game. Kansas coach Bill Self said he thought Appleton would fit right in as a Jayhawk.
"Tyrone has won big at the junior college level and certainly has sacrificed individual statistics for the
betterment of his team," Self said when he signed Appleton. "We were sold on Tyrone when we first came into contact with him.
Rivals.com
tact with him."
jump-shot. Appleton, however, said his shot was fine. He said he gained the reputation because he'd rather penetrate the lane than pull up for a shot.
"I can shoot it," Appleton said. "But I'm more of a drive-first type guy. Look-first, pass-first."
Self also likes that Appleton's game is versatile. Appleton can play any guard position on the floor.
But he prefers playing point guard. His only weakness is said to be his
"I can shoot it, but I'm more of a drive-first type guy. Look-first, passfirst."
— Tyrone Appleton
Fellow junior college transfer Mario Littl agreed that Appleton could shoot if he had to. Little played
against Appleton in junior college and the two have played regularly this summer.
Little's native Chicago.
They also grew up near each other. Appleton comes from Gary, Ind., less than an hour away from
"He's a tough city kid," Little said. "He'll bring toughness to the team."
And Appleton is just getting tougher. He said the biggest adjustment from junior college to Kansas so far was the sessions in the weightroom.
Strength coach Andrea Hudy is keeping Appleton busy between attending classes and playing pick-up basketball this summer.
"As a JUCO, you hit the weights a little bit," Appleton said. "But our strength and conditioning coach here — she's real tough."
Appleton is hoping the hard work will pay off. As a junior, he's one of the only veterans on the team and Self said he expected Appleton to serve as a leader. He's got a championship to prove he's capable of it.
>> TRANSFER
— Edited by Matt Hirschfeld
Juco star Little adds depth to perimeter
+
CONTRIBUTED PHOTO
Junior college transfer Mario Little, shoots a jump shot for Chipola College in Marianna, Fla., last season. Rivals.com rated Little as the No. 1 junior college player in the country.
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BY CASE KEEFER ckeefer@kansan.com
It's no easy task following one of the greatest Kansas basketball players of all time, but Little isn't worried about it.
"That's what I've been doing all my life - stepping up big in big games," Little said.
He's 6-foot-6 and weighs 210 pounds. He can play multiple positions and says defense is his biggest strength.
Little, a junior guard, will have an opportunity to step up right away for the Jayhawks this season. Kansas coach Bill Self recruited him to do just that.
Rated as the No. 1 junior college player in the nation last year by Rivals.com, Little led Chipola College in Marianna, Fla. to a
No, not Brandon Rush — he's gone. But junior college transfer Mario Little's profile does sound like a duplicate of Rush's.
SEE LITTLE ON PAGE 21