10 / BASKETBALL PREVIEW / WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 27, 2010 / THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN / KANSAN.COM
PROFILE
Tyrel Reed balances basketball and off-court career
Senior guard focuses on physical therapy internship
BY MIKE LAVIERI
mlavieri@kansan.com
Tyrel Reed won't be strolling down Jayhawk Boulevard much this fall.
The senior guard is doing a physical therapy internship at OrthoKansas, 1112 W 6th St., during the fall semester.
physical-therapy-type things," Reed
I go in there every morning.
8 to 12, work with patients, doing
Reed
said. "I have to be done around noon or one so I can get to practice."
Reed goes to his internship Monday through Friday.
He said that getting up early makes him feel
like an old man, but he is getting used to it.
Reed especially likes being a student without having homework to do at night or have tests to study for.
The internship accounts for all 12 credits of his courseload this semester.
"It's basically taking four classes that are three hours a piece," Reed said.
Reed must complete 600 hours of work to receive the credits.
He completed a lot of the hours during the summer to lighten the load this semester.
Reed thinks not having the stress of school will keep his mind freer so he can focus on basketball.
However, coach Bill Self thinks the internship will have the same affect as if Reed was taking class.
"He is going to spend the same number hours doing the internship as he does going to class," Self said.
Self praised Reed saying that he is a bright young man and that
Reed will graduate in December in 3 $ \frac{1}{2} $ years.
"Tyrel is so disciplined." Self said. "No matter what his schedule is, its not going to affect his basketball at all. He'll manage his time quite well."
Reed is one of four seniors and Self wants him to have a big year.
"No one deserves to have a big senior year more than he does," Self said.
But Self knows that putting up big numbers isn't Reed's main focus.
"What's most important to him is that our team has a great year," Self said. "If we do that, then he will feel great."
Junior Tyshawn Taylor and senior Brady Morningstar.
"He's an extremely hard worker," Self said.
Reed once again was the best-conditioned athlete after Self's "boot-camp."
Self says that Reed proclaims himself the team's best jumper with a 42-inch vertical.
Reed averaged 5.1 points in 15.6 minutes per game last season.
Those numbers should improve with it being Reed's last season as a Jayhawk.
He comes into the season with improved ball-handling and passing, which Self said makes him a more complete guard than he's ever been since he's been at Kansas.