LAWRENCE, Kan. _ Lagerald Vick thinks he's pinpointed what it will take to earn a spot in the starting lineup in his junior year at Kansas.
"Just focus on basketball and school ... have blinders on," Vick, a 6-foot-5, 175-pound combo guard from Memphis said before practice on Monday at Allen Fieldhouse.
"I can't let things off the court and on the court affect what I came to Kansas to do," added Vick in stating he came to KU "for a degree and also to become an NBA star."
KU coach Bill Self _ who started Vick six times and had him come off the bench in 30 games during the 2016-17 season _ said he was leaning toward starting Vick for a second straight exhibition game with Devonte Graham, Svi Mykhailiuk, Malik Newman and Udoka Azubuike on Tuesday against Pittsburg State.
"I think that's good," Self said of Vick's comments about wearing blinders. "(But) I was hoping you'd say he was going to put blinders on and defend and rebound.
"He needs to be focused. He needs to eliminate distractions and anything that would keep him from being as good as he can be on the court, because he can be really, really good. I am probably his biggest fan when it comes to how good I think he can be," Self added of Vick, who has had some off-the-court problems his first two years at KU.
On the court Vick averaged 7.4 points and 3.5 rebounds with 34 assists against 40 turnovers last season and went for 12.5 points and 3.3 rebounds on KU's tour of Italy this summer. And he had 13 points on 4-of-11 shooting with two rebounds while playing 36 minutes in KU's 93-87 exhibition victory over Missouri on Oct. 22 at the Sprint Center.
"I do think he can become a college star and I do think he'll have a chance to play in the league for a while if things go really well," Self said. "(But) I don't think we have anybody who is quite talented enough to allow them not to be their best for whatever reasons and still play at the highest level."
Self said Vick has the tools _ quickness and jumping ability _ needed to be a standout offensive rebounder.
"He gets a running start, but it takes a lot of effort to get a running start," Self said. "You don't have to go (to the boards) every possession. Let's be real. If he were to go hard 60 percent of the possessions to offensive rebound, he'd steal us four to six more points a game."
Self has also challenged senior shooting guard Mykhailiuk to help out on the glass. Mykhailiuk grabbed three rebounds in 27 minutes against Mizzou after a junior season in which he averaged 3.0 boards (and 9.8 points) per contest. Mykhailiuk averaged 3.3 rebounds per contest on the Italy trip.
"Everybody always tells me Svi is 6-foot-8 ... well, if you are 6-8, play to it one day," Self said. "I'm not talking from an athletic standpoint, I'm talking from a rebounding standpoint. He and Lagerald are athletic. They don't play with their hands above the rim near as often as they should going after balls. That's what I'd like to see more of. Malik is a decent defensive rebounder but he could do more too in that area."
Self does admit he's expecting a lot from his guards.
"To be fair we are comparing Frank (Mason, Sacramento Kings), Josh (Jackson, Phoenix Suns) and Landen (Lucas, pro in Japan) to Udoka, Billy (Preston, freshman) and Malik, which from a talent standpoint over time that's OK," Self said.
"You are talking (losing) veterans _ fifth-year guy, fourth-year guy, maybe the biggest dog in college basketball as a freshman last year. I mean he (Jackson) was an assassin. We are comparing guys that aren't ready to be that just yet. I told our guys I need to be realistic in what I expect because I don't think they are doing poorly. I think we are where most young kids should be but that's just not quite good enough."
Self said the Jayhawks may miss a rebounding wing in the 6-8 Jackson, who grabbed 7.4 boards per outing, but do return "a more natural leader than we've had in a long time _ maybe ever since I've been here _ as far as by example and verbally."
He's referring to senior point guard Graham, who scored 25 points and grabbed 10 rebounds with five assists and four turnovers in 35 minutes against Missouri.
"I think our guys like each other. I think they are pretty unselfish. Getting guys to consistently give that intelligent/second and third effort I think is something we are lacking right now that we probably got a lot of last year," Self added.
KU's coach said he's hoping for "20 to 25 minutes" of good basketball on Halloween night against against a Pitt State team that projects to start four transfer players along with 6-1 returnee Jaxon Holden (10.5 points per game average on last year's 5-22 team).
The transfers are: Deitrich Cole (6-10, Moberly Community College), Xavier Adams (6-6, University of New Mexico), Grant Lozoya (Stetson University) and Donovan Franklin (6-5, Indiana State).
"I think the Missouri game definitely takes some of the luster off this being our first exhibition game," Self said. "Usually we have one of our better crowds of the year with our first exhibition game so you could see all the new kids. Hopefully it's still the case. I anticipate it being a good crowd. I really don't know (about possible no-shows; all games are sold out). We'll be excited to play."
Azubuike said he's definitely enthused about his return to action in the fieldhouse. He played 11 games before suffering a season-ending wrist injury his freshman campaign.
"I'm really excited about it. This pretty much will be my first time playing in the fieldhouse in a long time. I am really pumped up," he stated.
