Q&A With Kansas University Basketball <div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">Q: Gary, I have not heard or been able to figure out what the Jayhawks will do with a whole team of all-star small forwards. How is this going to work? What will the starting lineup be? Who will be benched: J.R. Giddens, Julian Wright, or Micah Downs? If they all play, someone will have to play post. Will this be Wright or Downs? I've heard that Wright doesn't want to be a full time post man. I'd like to hear your take on how this will work. A: Well, I think coach Bill Self would still like to play two big guys if possible, but is open to anything. He says the team will pressure -- not press, but pressure -- more next year. I'd assume the lineup would be: Mario Chalmers, Wright, Giddens, Moody and Giles. But it could be Chalmers, Wright, Giddens, Russell Robinson and C.J. Giles, or something like that. I'm sure the coaches will do a lot of brainstorming this summer, but Bill could always go small. What about a lineup of Chalmers, Wright, Downs, Giddens and Robinson? Think about that one for a while. Q: In light of the young team we will have next year, do you believe Christian Moody will play as many minutes next year as he did this year? A: I think Christian will have to come to camp and earn his minutes. I don't think a starting spot will be given to him. There's a lot of talent on this team, and Bill might elect to go with the other guys. I do think it's all up to Christian. If he's as good or a bit better than last year, he might earn similar minutes. He definitely is reliable and more athletic than you think. And now he's a scholarship player, no longer the best walk-on in history as stated by Bill Packer. I'm not downgrading Christian; I just don't think his starting spot is guaranteed, not with all this young talent on board. Q: Just how good is incoming freshman Mario Chalmers? A: He is darn good. He's got to be one of the best incoming freshmen point guards in the U.S., and KU needs one with Miles graduating. When Chris Piper played for KU, I don't remember him for being a scorer. But rather he was always assigned the other team's top scorer to stop. Am I right or wrong? Also did he ever score 20 points in a game. I can't remember him scoring much more than 10. Yes, Piper was a good defender and a great role player. He was more athletic than he was given credit for. I do not think he ever scored 20. I'll ask him the next time I see him and get back to you, but I can almost guarantee he never scored 20. He was the kind of player every team needs -- a real team player who could play defense, pass the ball and score when necessary.</div> Source
