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WWW.KANSAN.COM THURSDAY,APRIL24,2008
SUPER MARIO
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Mario Chalmers, junior guard, and Bill Seff, Kansas coach, talk to the press Wednesday afternoon about Chalmers' future plans. Chalmers is not using an agent for the NBA draft which leaves him the option of returning to Kansas
Marla Keown/KANSAN
Chalmers faces tough competition in Draft
The junior guard seems like a shoo-in for the NBA, but has to prove himself against other undergrads
BY RUSTIN DODD AND
MARK DENT
rdodd@kansan.com
mdent@kansan.com
Being considered a sports hero hasn't changed Mario Chalmers' life too much in the past two weeks.
He goes to school. He plays basketball.
He shops.
The only difference is that when he's out, he sees his face on a certain magazine on sale throughout Lawrence.
"Seeing yourself on Sports Illustrated on the cover wherever you go," Chalmers, junior guard, said, "is something you never thought would come true."
Another dream could soon come true for Chalmers in the coming weeks. He announced his intentions to enter the NBA Draft without hiring an agent Wednesday afternoon, meaning he still has the option of returning to Kansas.
"It's been kind of the vogue thing to do with everybody, to announce and not hire," Kansas coach Bill Self said, "and I certainly support him in his quest for living out another dream."
Chalmers said he'd been told he was currently projected to get drafted in the late first round or early second round. He wants to improve his status before he signs with an agent. If he's not guaranteed a spot in the first round, Chalmers said he'd come back. He has until June 16 to make his final
decision.
Until then, Chalmers will have to try to impress scouts and teams in individual workouts. Self thinks
Chalmers could play his way into a top-20 pick.
"That's kind of the consensus across the board." Self said.
Chalmers averaged 12.8 points per game this
But Chalmer ing a position. shooting guard
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season and finished with a school-record 97 steals. His outside shooting stroke and stealing ability are two of his biggest strengths. And, of course, his game-tying three-pointer in the national championship game, proved he could play in the clutch.
s could have trouble find. At 6-foot-1, he's played for all but a few games during his freshman year. He'll be too small to play shooting guard in the NBA and will have to move to the point.
Chalmers isn't the only underclassman guard who's entered his name in
draft for this June. He'll have to prove he can hang with Memphis' Derrick Rose, UCLAs Russell Westbrook and Darren Collison, Indiana's Eric Gordon, Arizona's Jerryd Bayless and more to solidify his status.
"Next year's draft probably won't be as strong on paper," Self said, "and I think
that's something he should consider. But he's earned the right to investigate."
If Chalmers does come back, Kansas backcourt will be one of the best in the nation. Chalmers could automatically boost Kansas from a fringe top 25 team to a top 10 contender. And maybe again, Chalmers could see himself on the cover of a magazine come next April.
"The more you win," Self said, "the more you want. I want more, and I guarantee he'll be as hungry as he's ever been."
Note: Brandon Rush, who declared for the NBA Draft last week, recently signed with the Chicago-based agency group Priority Sports.
—Edited by Jared Duncan
FOOTBALL
Jon Goering/KANSAN
Senior cornerback Kendrick Harper celebrates with sophomore cornerback Chris Harris and junior safety Darrell Stucket during the spring game April 14 at Memorial Stadium. These three will likely start in the backfield for Kansas in the fall. They will also likely be joined by junior safety Justin Thornton, who did not play in the spring game because of an injury.
Jayhawks to provide cross-position depth
Experience eases anxiety over losing Talib
BY ASHER FUSCO afusco@kansan.com
In the days leading up to the 2007 football season, the Kansas secondary looked like a weak spot - starting cornerback Kendrick Harper sat out with a broken wrist, forcing freshman Chris Harris into service.
Senior Stephanie Smith returns a low shot in the front court Sunday afternoon. Kansas faced off against Iowa State over the weekend and travels to College Station, Texas, for the Biq 12 Championship today.
Harris stepped into the starting role and earned All-Big 12 Freshman Team recognition. That extra experience could pay dividends this season as Kansas attempts
Weston White/KANSAN
What seemed a devastating blow last fall looks like a convenient twist of fate these days.
"We know we have big roles to fill, so we just want to come out and show everybody we're ready to play," Harris said. "We won't be hurting."
Harris, who started 10 games last season, played much bigger than his 6-foot, 180-pound frame would suggest as a freshman, making two interceptions and 65 tackles. Harris stepped into the starting spot because of injury and held onto the job for most of the season once Harper
to fill the void left by NFL-bound first team All-America cornerback Aqib Talib.
SEEFOOTBALL ON PAGE 3B
TENNIS
Jayhawks head to Big 12 tourney
Players want to bring home 30th straight victory against Iowa State
BY ALEX DUFEK
adufek@kansan.com
When the Kansas tennis team hits the courts on Thursday they will be looking to give Iowa State a serious dose of déià vu.
Kansas coach Amy Hall-Holt said the team's success against Iowa State wouldn't affect the way they prepare for the match.
Just five days after sweeping the Cyclones, 7-0, in Lawrence, the Jayhawks, ranked 5th in the Big 12, will face Iowa State in the opening round of the Big 12 tournament. The Cyclones, who have lost 29 straight matches to the Hawks, will be hoping a change of scenery and a trip to College Station, Texas, will be the lucky charm to stopping a streak almost three decades in the making.
"Any time we're up against somebody we want to take it one match at a time and that's what we do," Hall-Holt said.
Kansas will have momentum on its side when it enters the tournament Thursday. The Jayhawks are currently riding a two-match winning streak after dropping four straight matches earlier in April. Hall-Holt said she felt like the late season push and positive response to adversity had put Kansas right where it wanted to be.
"The way it looks, this is where we want to be and this is where our goals were." Hall-Holt said. "We wanted to be in the top half of the Big 12 and the girls pulled through some obstacles and made it."
With a difficult regular season schedule under their belt, the Jayhawks appear to have the confidence and the experience necessary to make a deep run in this year's tournament. Out of the 21 teams Kansas faced during the regular season, 13 finished the regular season with an ITA ranking.
Another advantage of this year's team is its experience in age. The Jayhawks have a good amount of leadership on a roster that
XO
In singles, Kansas is lead by junior Edina Horvath, who has recorded a team-leading 11 wins this spring, mostly at the No. 3 position. Senior Lauren Hommell trails just behind Horvath with 10 wins, almost all at the No. 6 position. With four match sealing victories on her résumé already this season, Hommell is inarguably one of Kansas' most reliable players in pressure situations. The Jayhawks will almost certainly need Hommell to rise to the challenge again, if Kansas expects to make a deep run in this year's draw.
consists of three seniors and two juniors, all of whom have experience in the Big 12 tournament. An even more important factor is the success the upperclassmen have already had this season.
In doubles, Kansas is led by the experi-
enced duo of Horvath and senior Elizaveta
Avdeeva. With 13 victories all at the No. 1 position, they lead the team in doubles wins this spring. Avdeeva, who set the mark for the most career Big 12 doubles victories in school history on Sunday against Iowa State, said even though the team handled Iowa State on Sunday you can never be too prepared for a match.
"Even if you know that you've never lost to a team you have to expect anything," Avdeeva said.
Kansas will be looking to continue its domination over the Cyclones when they face off at 10 a.m. on Thursday at the George P. Mitchell Tennis Center in College Station, Texas.
—Edited by Samuel Lamb
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