Friday, February 15, 2008
For most KU fans, it’s easy to notice the starters that contribute so much to this team and even some of the role players off the bench. To the most dedicated fans at KU (which is a majority of the fans anyway) they are on first name basis even with the super freshmen that might not get that many minutes with the superior play of the juniors and seniors this year. But how about the players, who come to practice early, leave late and are the first off the bench to offer high fives, but rarely get to leave that bench to check into the game?
These, of course, are the walk-ons. For most walk-ons it is simply being a part of one of the greatest programs in college basketball history, that alone is a pleasure enough.
For others they could of been a star at lesser schools, but the aurora of Kansas basketball simply lures them in. But not all walk-ons are limited to just helping starters be better in practice and be cheerleaders on the sidelines.
Take, for example, Christian Moody, who could be called the greatest walk-on KU has ever seen.
During Moody’s years at Kansas, All-American Wayne Simien was patrolling the paint. There was no chance Moody would ever see the court. But injuries and the hard play of Moody actually put him into the starting lineup averaging 6.8 points and 5.4 rebounds per game, filling the void that Simien left and later playing alongside him, even the great Billy Packer declared during a broadcast Moody was the “greatest walk-on of all time.”
So pay attention the next time senior Brad Witherspoon or any other of the walk-ons get their chance on the court. They’re living their life through basketball.
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