You know some of the Kansas Jayhawks by name. But do you really know Brandon Rush, Mario Chalmers and the rest of your new NCAA basketball champions? We’ll let the University Daily Kansan do the honors:
#3 Russell Robinson: The City Boy
Senior Guard — 6-1, 205 — New York, N.Y.
The rap and Latin music started playing early, sometimes just after dawn. It sounded through the morning air in harmony with the almost nonstop honking of cars from the Grand Concourse up to Robinson’s room in his mom’s Bronx apartment. Outside, he could see the zooming cars, delis, bodegas, a McDonalds, other high-rise apartments and of course, people — tons of people, on top of each other. …
“I love the fact there’s always something to do,” Robinson said. “Busy, busy, busy, busy. I like hustle and bustle. I like having to do this at this time. You have everything right there at your fingertips.”
– Mark Dent, 3.12.08
#15 Mario Chalmers: The Alaskan Assassin
Junior Guard — 6-1, 190 — Anchorage, Alaska
Alaska isn’t exactly a mecca for high school hoops, but the state sent Carlos Boozer and Trajan Langdon to Duke in recent years. Chalmers’ hometown is Anchorage, a midsized municipality of close to 300,000 residents. It’s where Chalmers attended Bartlett High School.
As a young kid, Chalmers would watch Langdon play. Chalmers’ dad, Ronnie, who is now Kansas’ director of basketball operations, coached Langdon when the former Duke star was in high school. Chalmers watched him make three after three and said, “that’s going to be me.” “Just being around him, working out, seeing the type of work ethic he had,” Chalmers said, “I just wanted to emulate him.”
– Rustin Dodd, 4.3.08
#4 Sherron Collins: The Loving Father
Sophomore Guard — 5-11, 205 — Chicago, Ill.
From the moment his girlfriend, Re’Quiya Aguirre, gave birth to Sherr’mari on April 6, all he wanted to do was hold his son and take care of him. He didn’t have that opportunity with his first child, Sherron Jr., who died in June 2006, 10 days after being born four months premature.
Collins displays his fatherly devotion on the underside of his right forearm. One tattoo reads “Sherr’mari” in cursive letters. Underneath, another tattoo features two hands folded in prayer above the words “R.I.P. Sherron Jr.”
Whether he’s in the classroom or in Allen Fieldhouse, Collins looks at the tattoos whenever he needs motivation.
“If I fail,” Collins said, “I fail not only myself, I fail Sherr’mari, too. I take a lot of things more seriously. I try to do everything because I want my child to have a good life and think good of his dad.”
– Mark Dent, 1.23.08
#24 Sasha Kaun: The Computer Whiz
Senior Center — 6-11, 250 — Melbourne, Fla.
Kaun’s computer expertise helped him land an internship this past summer with Perceptive Software, a Shawnee-based company that develops a document-organizing product called ImageNow. Years of hard work and a passion for computers helped Kaun become a major contributor for Perceptive Software.
Kaun’s been around computers and enjoyed working with them for as long as he can remember. His love for computers comes from his dad, who used to be a developer in Russia.
– Mark Dent, 9.20.07
#32 Darnell Jackson: The Mourner
Senior Forward — 6-8, 250 — Oklahoma City, Okla.
As Kansas dealt with its third loss of the season, two Jayhawks dealt with family tragedy. Darnell Jackson’s 19-year-old cousin died Wednesday after being shot last week at an Oklahoma City nightclub. On the same day, senior guard Rodrick Stewart’s 21-year-old brother was murdered in Seattle.
For Jackson, his cousin’s death is another one in a series of tragic family events. Jackson’s grandmother, Evon, was killed in a car accident in 2005, and his mother, Shawn, was seriously hurt in the same accident. Jackson’s uncle was also the victim of violent murder.
– Rustin Dodd, 2.25.08
#25 Brandon Rush: The Blue-Chip Recruit
Junior Guard — 6-6, 210 — Kansas City, Mo.
Recruiting experts and Kansas City basketball junkies knew Rush had one thought on his mind when he played his senior year at Mt. Zion Christian Academy: the NBA.
That all changed on June 22, 2005. Rush, who had declared for the NBA Draft a month earlier, withdrew when it was apparent that he wouldn’t be a first-round pick.
Rumors started flying. One had Rush going to a prep school for a year before trying the NBA again. One had him going to Illinois or Indiana, the schools he listed as favorites during his senior year. UMKC wasn’t on the radar yet. Then Rush showed up on the UMKC campus.
– Mark Dent, 11.9.07
#00 Darrell Arthur: The Team Player
Sophomore Forward — 6-9, 225 — Dallas, Texas
Arthur, who only had 14 assists all of last season, said Kansas coaches spoke about him passing the ball and slowing down the pace of his game after his freshman year ended. Experience with the USA Under-19 basketball team over the summer made Arthur’s decision to focus on passing even clearer.
As he practiced with the U-19 team in early July to prepare for U-19 FIBA Championship, Arthur realized he couldn’t shoot every time. Teammates such as Oregon’s Tajuan Porter, Kansas State’s Michael Beasley and Arkansas’ Patrick Beverley wanted the ball too. Arthur decided to share it.
“I understood there was more than one scorer on the team,” he said. “As one of the captains, I was trying to motivate myself to get the team the ball first and shoot last.”
– Mark Dent, 8.29.07
#45 Cole Aldrich: The Tireless Worker
Freshman Center — 6-11, 240 — Bloomington, Minn.
The game didn’t come easily to him as a boy. Luckily for Aldrich, the support he received from his coaches and family kept him playing. Instead of learning about jump shots and dribbling at home, Aldrich learned the value of hard work and persistence.
Every weekday morning, Walt and Kathy Aldrich left their modest home in suburban Bloomington to provide for their children. Kathy operated an embroidery machine while Walt worked at the same sheet metal business he had worked for since leaving the Marine Corps.
– Peter Soto, 8.30.07