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2008 KANSAS BASKETBALL
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RUSH (CONTINUED FROM 57)
He won all the individual honors again his sophomore season All Big 12, Wooden All American and helped lead the team to regular and postseason Big 12 titles and a spot in the Elite Eight.
The Elite Eight berth probably wouldn't have been possible without him. Something clicked during a Sweet 16 game against Southern Illinois. He drove to the hoop with an attitude, a killer instinct. With less than a minute in the game, he dribbled toward the basket, leaned and banked a shot off the glass. It was the final basket of Kansas' 61-58 victory. He shot 6-for-6 and finished with five rebounds and five assists. Brandon had proven himself as a capable team player during his two years.
He had also shown fans they were wrong to think he'd be a cancer. He did fine in school — he even had a 3.6 GPA one semester — and never made off-court mistakes.
"With me," JaRon said, "I got in a bit of trouble and he learned. He's a very quiet, funny guy. He taught me how to act cool."
ONE MORE ROAD TO CROSS
Brandon dribbled into the lane for a dunk during a pick up game in May like held done hundreds of times before. As he sailed through the air, his life couldn't have been much better.
The NBA dream hed been chasing since high school was lying right in front of him. ESPN analyst Jay Bilas listed him as a top 20 prospect. Brandon had it made.
He came down from his leap. He heard a pop - his ACL. The NBA dream was gone. It had been replaced with another scar. Brandon showed he was different than his brothers and silenced critics who thought held disrupt chemistry at Kansas, but healing this one could be harder.
"It's so much different," Rush said. "People are wondering if I can be OK to play, if I'm going to be the old Brandon I used to be."
That's why he committed himself to rehabbing his knee during the summer and improving the weaknesses in his game. He dribbled tennis balls to better his suspect left hand and practiced stationary shooting. He also wanted to take it to the rim more this year to draw fouls.
Self said the injury should turn his player into a "new Brandon." He might not be as athletic as he was last year, but Self was confident he would learn new techniques to compensate.
"They say Jordan got better when he was less athletic," Self said. "He was such a great athlete early, but he became a better basketball player later in his career. I think Brandon
Mindv Ricketts/KANSAN
Junior guard Brandon Rush drives down the lane past North Carolina guard Marcus Ginyard during the first half of the game against North Carolina. Rush was the high scorer of the game with 25 points. He also had two assists, one block and seven rebounds.
is going to be a better basketball player."
It wouldn't hurt if Michael Jordan's winning mentality rubbed off on Rush as well. Fans have always complained Rush didn't crave the ball enough during crucial moments. For Brandon to come all the way back, he had to demand the ball at the end of important games like he did against Southern Illinois.
"He always had attitude," senior forward Darnell Jackson said. "He's going to be a great factor for us because he can shoot, and because he's been working since he's been out. When we need Brandon to step up big, he'll step up for us."
'A LITTLE BIT OF PRESSURE'
The Late Night scrimmage ended, and Brandon walked off the court with his teammates. He was the only one not dripping with sweat.
After changing with the team, Brandon left the locker room to talk with the media. A writer from ESPN interviewed him. The entire nation wanted to know how he would return from the injury, if he'll able to heal from this scar, if he'll be the old Brandon and be a new, better one at the same time.
"I feel a little bit of pressure but anybody would feel a little bit after surgery on a knee," Brandon said. "I'm worried about getting hurt again and just not being able to help the team win, but I don't think it will affect my play. I have to come in there with a free mind and know what my knee can handle."
Judging by how he handled the scars in his life, he should be fine.
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN