Huh! I say serves them right for pitching position player; pile it on.

Hello, all. I had a similar idea. If those who are capable want to make this into a new thread, please do so; I think this may be a good complimentary riff to the theme.

Last summer, a KU Basketball website formerly of note featured a series of articles that listed the five best players at each position that have played (or are playing) under Coach Self. My idea is to provide a rating system by which you must choose one starter at each position, as well as any combination of five reserves.

I have (admittedly, subjectively) ranked Self’s top five players at each position, as well as divided Self’s reserves into three groups based on their career at KU. I have listed for each player their best year. I have tried to rank the players based on a subjective consideration of best season and career—thus (for example), although Andrew Wiggins’ 2014 and Ben McLemore’s 2013 seasons appear far better, objectively, than any of Rush’s or Chalmers’ seasons, I have placed Wiggins and McLemore below Rush and Chalmers.

I have listed the players by what I deem (again, subjectively) to have been their “natural” positions—hence, no Mk. Morris or D. Jackson as a center. I suggest as “reserve” players those which have not been starters during their KU career. Those players (especially at the power forward position) who have at one time played a reserve role but then who have gone on to start but not made the top five will not be considered. (I have allowed for exceptions to this rule. In those exceptions, I have listed the year that those players actually were used primarily as reserves.)

If I have made any unforgiveable gaffes in my rankings, please suggest a better system! I am happy to bow to superior basketball intellects. I suggest that you have $25 with which to build a fantasy Self-coached Jayhawk team of ten players. If that seems like too much or too little, please suggest what would be better!

Which players would you pick for Self’s team, and why?

Center Starters Jeff Withey (’13): $5 Cole Aldrich (’09): $4 Joel Embiid (’14): $3 Sasha Kaun (’08): $2 David Padgett (’04): $1

Power Forward Starters Wayne Simeon (’05): $5 Thomas Robinson (’12): $4 Marcus Morris (’11): $3* Darrell Arthur (’08): $2 Markieff Morris (’11): $1*

*Due to the unique chemistry of the Morrii, I will allow an exception to the “natural position” rule. If you want to pick Mk&McMorris as your C and PF, you will pay… hmm, $6?

Forward bench players Jeff Graves (’04), Christian Moody (’06), C. J. Giles, Kevin Young (’12): $3 Jamari Traylor, Tarik Black, Hunter Michelson: $2 Any other reserve forward (Lucas, Q. Thomas, Wesley, etc.): $1

Small Forward Starters Brandon Rush (’08): $5 Andrew Wiggins (’14): $4 Keith Langford (’05): $3 Travis Releford (’14): $2 Xavier Henry (’10): $1

Reserve Small Forwards: Brady Morningstar (’10), Mario Little: $3 Rodrick Stewart, Bryant Nash: $2 Any other reserve Small Forward (Greene, White, etc.): $1

Shooting Guard Starters Mario Chalmers (’08): $5 Ben McLemore (’13): $4 J. R. Giddons (’04): $3 Elijah Johnson (’12): $2 Wayne Selden (’14): $1

Point Guard Starters Sherron Collins (’10): $5 Tyshawn Taylor (’12): $4 Aaron Miles (’05): $3 Russell Robinson (’08): $2 Tyrel Reed (’11): $1

Guard Bench Players Josh Selby, Michael Lee, Conner Teahan: $3 Jeff Hawkins, Steven Vinson, Frank Mason: $2 Any other reserve guard (Case, Frankamp, etc.): $1

My team: C Jeff Withey ($5): I want a rim protector at center, and he is far and away the best interior defender. I pick him over Cole due to his mobility. PF Darrell Arthur ($2): With a center limited in offensive ability, I need a PF that can create his own shot. Because PF is the deepest position on the board, he is well worth the $2. SF Travis Releford ($2): One of the most efficient (albeit low-volume) scorers and one of the best perimeter defenders, at $2? SG Mario Chalmers ($5): Self’s best combo-/lead-/whatever-guard provides shooting, ball-handling, and defense—worth the top pick. PG Tyrel Reed ($1): Great shooter and solid ball skills. With Chalmers to provide the ball-handling, and Releford to provide perimeter defense, I want the best shooter at the 1 position.

Bench: Tarik Black, Jamari Traylor, Brannen Greene, Michael Lee, Frank Mason ($10): Black and Traylor together provide chemistry, rebounding, and toughness. Greene showed that he can shine in a limited role. Mason will back up Reed, and Lee? Best reserve guard who never started under Self.

This paragraph might belong to a different thread, but as a first-time poster, it might help to date me a bit. I had never watched KU play—on TV (I’d seen them play twice in Allen) before I started college in 2007 (what a year to start watching, eh?), I only listened to Bob and Max. In middle and high school, Lee was my hero! I remember Self throwing him in at the 4 sometimes, when Simeon was injured and Self was ticked off at B-Nasty and Moulaye. Meanwhile, as a 6’1.5-in-socks (listed at 6’4; it happens at every level) freshman in a small Kansas town, I was a center. I never grew any more, but I used to dream of walking on at KU and being the guy in the right place at the right time, a la Moody, who stepped into a starting position as an under-sized power forward at KU….

@wissoxfan83 I’m only listening tonight as well.

Center: (Jeff Withey @ $1?) If I may suggest a value alternative, Withey’s mobility and defensive skills make me like him as a complimentary player above Cole and O.

Power Forward: Manning ($5) The heart of my and of many 'Hawks fantasy teams.

Small Forward: Pierce ($3) My parents bought me my first Jayhawk jersey in '96–it was #34.

Shooting Guard: Boschee ($2) I’ll take the best shooter on the board at the 2 for $2.

Point Guard: Sherron ($4) @overusedtermthatisappropriateforthisyoungman–the bulldog fits my team.

Coach: Self ($3) I would love to see what he could do with the above bunch!

Take it easy, folks! It’s not like I have ready a bottle of Auchentoshan or anything! Go Royals!

@approxinfinity I would support either way. If there is to be an upgrade, and if I may suggest the impossible, is there a way to retain just an archive of those posts that have been rated/deemed PHOF?

Great stuff, folks. I have hesitated to post before now, but wife has both young Jayhawks fans in bed and is asleep herself; will be following!

@approxinfinity I understand this to be at least partly in jest, but has anyone else noticed how Tyler will occasionally leave the bench, right after a timeout, say, and have a quick chat with the refs? I just saw it in Austin, but one of my friends said that he had noticed Tyler doing this in other games, as well.

@Crimsonorblue22 Just turned 39 wink wink (don’t know emoticons)

I’ve been down on Cueto since his acquisition; happy to be proved wrong!

@approxinfinity I understand this to be at least partly in jest, but has anyone else noticed how Tyler will occasionally leave the bench, right after a timeout, say, and have a quick chat with the refs? I just saw it in Austin, but one of my friends said that he had noticed Tyler doing this in other games, as well.

@brooksmd @globaljaybird @Crimsonorblue22 Thanks again for your wit and fine commentary this year! Cheers to all the other Royal Jayhawks, as well! Good night, all.

@brooksmd Who claimed Salvy #28 cathcer?!

@brooksmd Too hard to pick one from a team effort. Go with the guy who handled all of our fine pitchers! Well deserved, Salvador!

Lots of talk, Familia vs Davis–question answered decisively. WD: 4IP, 8Ks, 3-3Sv JF: 4.2IP, 3Ks, 0-3Sv

@DanR Dead silence on my Austin street. “Balm ere my eyelids close.”

Couple brothers to call–if they can hear their phones ringing!

“I’ve been a prince of Partagas for long and many’s the year.”

@VailHawk Not born!

Ha! My radio feed just died… Think I’ll know if we win though.