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Morning Brew: A look at Jayhawks in the 2008 draft class

Thursday, December 4, 2008

One month into the season, two members of the 2008 national championship team faced off for the first time. Mario Chalmers’ Miami Heat edged out Brandon Rush and the Indiana Pacers with the final tally of 109-100. Rush, for the first time all season, hit double-digit points, while going perfect from behind the arc. Chalmers had a sub-par performance offensively, not hitting from the field, but adding five free throws. His defense once again saved his day though, and he came through with three steals for the Heat.

Here’s how Rush, Chalmers and the other members of the 2008 draft class are faring.

Brandon Rush,

Pacers Guard

Rush is still coming off the bench for the Pacers, but he’s beginning to get a real feel for the pro game. His recent stretch of three games with double-digit points has led to Indiana’s giving him more and more minutes. In each of his last four games, he has played more than any game previous. He had a coming out party against Dallas, scoring 18 points while adding two boards, an assist and a steal.

Darrell Arthur,

Grizzlies forward

Arthur is playing alongside two legitimate rookie of the year candidates in ex-USC Trojan O.J. Mayo and Spaniard Marc Gasol. While Arthur’s rebounding is second on the team—behind Gasol—he has lost his starting spot and seen his minutes deteriorate over the last two games. Since his 16-point, nine rebound performance in 33 minutes against the Utah Jazz November 22, Arthur has been relegated to a smaller role. For the first time since his NBA debut, Arthur was out of the starting lineup November 28 against the Spurs and saw six minutes of playing time.

Mario Chalmers,

Heat Guard

Chalmers has really hit his stride lately, putting up double figures in points in three of the last four games after only accomplishing the feat twice in the first 13. He started the streak with a 23-point, six rebound, four assist and four steal performance against the Houston Rockets. His inspired play of late has made him arguably the most valuable rookie on his team, quite a feat for someone playing with Michael Beasley. Chalmers’ defensive capabilities have endeared him to fans, and his 2.1 steals per game are fifth in the league.

Darnell Jackson,

Cavaliers Forward

Jackson is finally healthy. After missing the team’s first 13 games, Jackson has come in to play a reserve role for the Cavs in their last three, all wins for Cleveland. Jackson will get the least minutes of any of the Jayhawk rookies in the NBA, but he should start to see more as he returns to full health. Though he’ll only play a minor role, Jackson has a considerably better chance of being a member of an NBA champion this year than any other Kansas rookie.

Sasha Kaun, CSKA Moscow Forward

Kaun, who plays in his native Russia, has seen limited time playing for CSKA Moscow, averaging just under seven minutes. Kaun’s Russian team is one of the best in the Euroleague, going 20-4 so far, with two of those losses coming in exhibitions against NBA teams—they fell to the Orlando Magic 94-66, and to the Toronto Raptors 86-78. In those games, Kaun faced off against two of the best forwards in the NBA: Dwight Howard and Chris Bosh. He scored two points in each while pulling down five rebounds.

— — Edited by Becka Cremer

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