My very favorite Jayhawk died today. Jo Jo White
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just read, Jayhawk Nation truly lost one of our greats- WOW I couldn’t believe this. - -Brain Cancer - -Cancer is so ugly. - -only 71 yrs old.
Up most respect and regards to the White family. - -So sorry for your loss. - Jo Jo will be greatly missed by Jayhawk Nation - -what a great player. - That’s ok - -you just rest Jo Jo you’ll truly be missed RIP Jo Jo White. - -ROCK CHALK ALL DAY LONG BABY
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Hall of Fame. Rock Chalk.
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@wrwlumpy KU’s first Jo Jo. My icon is his shot in the final four that was waved off. I knew it was a bad call when I watched it on the tube. Years later Ted said it was an impossible call. Class man! Class Jayhawk!
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RIP JoJo
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Thanks @wrwlumpy for putting these on here. Maybe the team can win #14 for JoJo.
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A big loss for the Jayhawk nation; he was a special and beloved player. Condolences to his family.
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All class!
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Not a Jayhawk (@gifhawk) 1/16/18, 8:15 PM Lost one of the all-time greats today. RIP Jo Jo. #RockChalk pic.twitter.com/De9bvOKruX
JoJo video
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Jo Jo was a LEGEND. Godspeed jayhawk
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Legend on so many different levels!
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Sad to hear the news. I think back to when I listened to that KU-Texas Western NCAA game as a kid. I was heartbroken when the ref waved off his game-winning shot.
Later the ref was quoted as saying that the call was so close that, if Jo Jo wore black sneakers instead of white ones, he might not have called him out of bounds.
Later on in 1977 I was at AFH when he and Norm Cook (then a Celtics rookie) were introduced before the game to a huge roar.
Another Jayhawk legend gone too soon. RIP Jo Jo.
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Sad day for KU and all of basketball. We lost one of the true greats. Thoughts and prayers to the White family.
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I became a Celtic fan back in the day just because of JoJo
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JoJo White. Great basketball player. Great KU representative. Great man.
Rest in Peace friend.
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@wrwlumpy From the article you posted -
"I will say that my four years at Kansas was, perhaps, the greatest experience in my young life. I wouldn’t trade those years for anything in the world. Even now, with the rule changes and players able to come out early, I think our young athletes are really missing the most important growth period in their life by not staying in college all four years." JoJo White
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There are so many things tha could be said.
I will limit it to this.
Remember he became eligible at mid season. Many thought he would not live up to his hype. Most thought it would take him awhile to adjust and mesh with the team.
Delvy Lewis was the PG and stayed the PG.
Jo Jo White dominated every game at KU from the moment he stepped on the floor at mid term, as a 2 guard. From the start he was better than everyone. Better than the black players. Better than the white players. Better than ours. Better than theirs. Better than any one before him at KU. Better than anyone after. Better than everyone.
He routinely made plays no other player would EVER make.
I won’t say he was the best guard who ever lived, because he wasn’t.
But he WAS the quickest guard with quickest hands who ever lived.
No. Doubt. In. My. Mind.
None. Zero. Zip.
You will hear old timers say he had the quickest hands of any player who ever lived. That way of saying it is hard to prove quantitatively because the testing was never done.
Here is the way to say it.
Anytime KU needed the ball back, Ted Owens would order him to press. He needed no help. Help got in the way. Jo Jo got in front of the man with the ball about 5-8 feet away. He never crowded offenders. He even back peddled and watched the guy dribble a bit before striking. And he struck like cat before the crossover, or after. It was like watching a cat play with a mouse. He did it so many times at Kansas that everyone knew we would win the one possession games, because he would steal the ball and lay it in. No more theatrics than a cat. So fast you almost couldn’t see it on TV.
He was great in all phases of the game, but he was the greatest strip artist who ever lived. Bar none. Period. His hands were as fast as Ali. Ali was said to be able to snap a jab the moment you blinked and hit you before you blinked open. Ali was measured by Sports Illustrated with a high speed camera and actually could do it. I believe Jo Jo’s right hand reach was faster. He was so fast on the strip that other players could not react at all.
He was an all time great. If he had played on the 2008 team they would have gone undefeated. He was a better stripper by himself than RR and Chalmers put together and doubling someone. He never needed a double. He was Sir Charles Lytton on wood.
No press could touch him.
It’s scary what he could have done for Self.
He was lightening in shoe laces.
RIP.
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@jaybate-1.0 Every time they come up with KU’s best teams and players Jo Jo is barely mentioned and sometimes not at all. I realize he played at Kansas long before some fans were even born. If you are putting together an all time best KU team with 2 guards write down Jo Jo and then clamour over the second.
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I’ve changed my all time starting 5 again now it goes Mason, White, Pierce, Manning and Wilt. Final answer Regis.
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@kjayhawks Wouldn’t change a single one. If my memory is failing I’ll use you for lifeline help.
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It’s very tough for me on all time teams.
Presently, if I picked, the guards would have to be White and Chalmers.
To me, all time teams have to include every thing about a player.
Ability.
College accomplishment.
Pro accomplishment.
Frank and Sherron and Mario and Darnell Valentine and Jo Jo White were the most dominant in college.
Frank, or Tyshawn Taylor, probably had the greatest starting KU season at guard of them all. BOTH WERE ONES FOR THE AGES. Frank’s was probably better quantitatively and award wise (POY), but Tyshawn lead his team to the NCAA finals and to a near miraculous come from behind against one of the greatest teams ever assembled.
But Mario hung a banner in AFH and two in the NBA and has had a genuine NBA career. Mario was a GREAT PLAYER IN COLLEGE AND VERY GOOD IN TH NBA UNTIL INJURY SCOPED HIM DOWN.
And White took his one talented KU Team as far as Frank did, then played in the Olympics, then had a long all pro NBA career and won two rings. He was unquestionably the greatest NBA starting guard KU ever produced. This HAS to count in an all time KU Team.
What I am hoping is that Frank has a long NBA career and wins 2-3 NBA rings and added to his great accomplishments at KU we can pass the torch to him for the best ever.
But for now, it’s Mario and Jo Jo starting.
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P.S.: I also think about who would dominate who if they played each other heads up? Mario and Jo Jo would be very tough for Frank and Sherron to stop. Mario and Jo Jo could contain Frank and Sheron.
At least when I try to imagine it.
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nuleafjhawk said:
@wrwlumpy From the article you posted -
"I will say that my four years at Kansas was, perhaps, the greatest experience in my young life. I wouldn’t trade those years for anything in the world. Even now, with the rule changes and players able to come out early, I think our young athletes are really missing the most important growth period in their life by not staying in college all four years." JoJo White
Pure White and pure gold. He was one of those rare persons that could and did speak deep truths clearly and succinctly. This is why persons say he was not only a great player but a great person.
He was like Joe DiMaggio and John Wooden. He oozed dignity, and charisma, when you stood near him.
And I was by chance lucky to have stood near all three, if only briefly and having only spoken to Wooden.
Greatness, like stunning beauty, if felt in person is palpable and far more impressive than records; this much I know.
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I played Basketball with Number 31, Bruce Sloan. He was a Senior at my high school and I was a Junior. I sat on the bench when he was scoring 40 points. Bruce who played the post in high school, later became the shooting guard in the starting lineup at KU. I watched with awe, seeing Jo Jo for the first time. There was no three point line or shot clock. He could guard anyone and no one could guard him. He wasn’t a behind the back-between the legs ball handler but simply the perfect point guard.
I was able to meet him when I was in my 40’s and talk basketball with him. He was very proud to be a Jayhawk and a Celtic.
