‘Hawks in the NBA

By By Ashley Michaels (Contact)

Wednesday, July 27, 2005

Three former Kansas men’s basketball players are adjusting to life on opposing teams.

Aaron Miles, former guard, Keith Langford, former forward, and Wayne Simien, former forward, are all currently members of NBA summer league teams, only now they are playing against each other.

The Miami Heat drafted Simien during the 2005 NBA Draft on June 29. Miles and Langford were not drafted but have found their places among the NBA hopefuls. Miles now plays with the Seattle SuperSonics summer league team. He hasn’t played against any of his former teammates but he did get the opportunity to train with Simien in Denver.

“We worked out together so sometimes we were on the same team and sometimes we were on separate teams,” Miles said. “When we played on the same team it was like the chemistry was still there. I knew where he wanted the ball and how to give it to him. When we played against each other it was like we knew what each other was going to do. I wanted my team to win, but at the same time I wanted him to do good as well.”

Langford is playing with the Dallas Mavericks and got the opportunity to play against Simien and the Miami Heat twice, July 11 and July 14 at Long Beach State.

At the first game on July 11, the Heat won 95-87. Langford was 1 for 8 from the field ending the night with 4 points. Simien scored 13 points and was 5 for 12.

When the two former teammates met for the second time, the Mavericks won 109-96. Both Langford and Simien scored 20 points.

“It’s cool because my team won,” Langford said. “But when we played against each other I had to catch myself every once in awhile after a point or when we did something good because it’s just habit to congratulate each other. It was good to see him play and to see him doing good.”

Simien will stay with the Heat following the summer league season. As of July 26, Miles and Langford have not been picked up by any teams for the regular season.

— Edited by Erin M. Droste

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