Wednesday, October 24, 2007
The chant would carry from the student section to the ears of Kansas coach Bill Self near the end of blowouts last season:
“Bra-ad Wither-spoon.” “Bra-ad Wither-spoon.”
Brennan Bechard and Matt Kleinmann dove for loose balls during their mop-up minutes. Mario Chalmers and Darrell Arthur relaxed and enjoyed the victory. Brad Witherspoon sat alone at the far end of the bench focused on the court like he’d never seen a basketball game before. The fans would keep screaming until their favorite walk-on knelt in front of the scorer’s table:
“Bra-ad Wither-spoon.” “Bra-ad Wither-spoon.”
KANSAN
This year the chants will continue. Witherspoon, who walked-on after trying out last year, is back for a final season.
“He’s withstood the test of time with me,” Self said. “He works hard and has been a good teammate. So yeah, he’ll be back. I like Brad a lot.”
Few KU basketball stories tugged at the heart like Witherspoon’s did last year. When school started last year he was a normal student. Rec Center courts were the only ones he thought he’d be playing on last winter. It all changed Oct. 18.
Coaches selected Witherspoon to walk on for the team after he tried out with 16 other players. He’d finally made the team after trying out and being turned down the previous two years. For a Humboldt native who turned down junior college offers to pursue his goal of becoming a walk-on, it was a dream come true.
The experience only got better as the season went on. Witherspoon only played 17 minutes all year, but he enjoyed them. The biggest highlight came in February against Nebraska. Witherspoon put his stamp on the blowout when he received an inbounds pass and laid the ball in as the clock ticked away. His basket meant every Kansas player scored that day.
“It was a great experience, probably the best thing I’ve done my entire life,” Witherspoon said. “Just being around these guys everyday, coming to practice, playing in the Fieldhosue every day and running out of the tunnel for games were the best.”
Witherspoon’s return seemed in doubt soon after the season ended. Self invited freshmen Conner Teahan and Chase Buford to walk on for the team, extending the roster to 17 players. Witherspoon expected Self to meet him at some point before school ended, but he never did.
So Witherspoon stayed. He stayed for summer weights. He stayed for the pick up games. He stayed for the conditioning runs.
The coaches never told him to leave, and soon it was time for practice to start. Witherspoon was officially back. Teammates such as Darnell Jackson liked Witherspoon’s attitude and were glad he’d be playing for another year.
“I like having Spoon around, man,” said Jackson, a senior forward. “He never talks negative, never downs anybody and he’s always encouraging everybody. Even if I’m having a bad day in practice, he’ll be like ‘D-Block, you all right man. Come on, let’s do it. Let’s finish strong.’ Sometimes you need that person to come up to you when you’re not having a great practice and tell you that everything’s OK.”
Witherspoon has no wild dreams of averaging 20 points per game this season or being named a first team All-American. He’s fine with wearing the jersey on game nights, practicing against players who could be in the NBA someday and of course, running through the tunnel onto James Naismith Court.
“If I could wish one thing for every KU student,” he said, “it would be to run out of that tunnel one time because it just gives you chills.”
— Edited by Ashlee Kieler
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