Two Jayhawks experience family tragedies

Monday, February 25, 2008

STILLWATER, Okla. — Darnell Jackson stood somberly amid a mass of reporters with notepads after Kansas’ 61-60 loss to Oklahoma State Saturday. Back in his home state, in the presence of more than 30 family members, Jackson — with a baseball cap pulled over his eyes — leaned his head toward the ground.

As Kansas dealt with its third loss of the season, two Jayhawks dealt with family tragedy.

Photo by Jon Goering

Sophomore forward Darrell Arthur reacts after fouling out of the game with 6:04 left in the game. Arthur recorded six points, two rebounds and three turnovers. He played just 17 minutes of the game because of foul trouble.

Jackson’s cousin, 19-year-old Kascey Corie McClellan, died Wednesday after being shot last week at an Oklahoma City nightclub. On the same day, senior guard Rodrick Stewart’s 21-year-old adopted brother, Allen, was murdered in Stewart’s hometown, Seattle.

“It was hard,” Stewart said. “My head was not in it today. I’m going to be real.”

Stewart, who played 11 minutes Saturday, said he’d been leaning on Jackson for support.

“It’s easy for me to talk to Darnell because he can relate to the same thing I’m going through,” Stewart said.

For Jackson, his cousin’s death is another one in a series of tragic family events.

Jackson’s grandmother, Evon, was killed in a car accident in 2005, and his mother, Shawn, was seriously hurt in the same accident. Jackson’s uncle was also the victim of violent murder.

Jackson, who played 36 minutes and scored 16 points, said his teammates had come to his aid the last few days.

“They are always checking on me to make sure I’m focused and make sure I’m not drifting away,” Jackson said softly.

Kansas coach Bill Self said he’d never had a team that had been through such a tragic week.

“We’ve got a lot going on. It’s not the players’ fault they’re distracted,” Self said. “We had two murders this week with immediate family.”

“I’ve never coached that before,” Self said. “I don’t know the coaching manual on some of that stuff.”

Jackson — his hat still low and his face calm — walked through a crowd of Jayhawk fans to meet his family. The senior center then paused to pose for a photograph and cracked a smile.

“He’s been through a lot and he just keeps smiling,” Stewart said. “That’s the first time I’ve seen him smile since the incident.”

With Jackson surrounded by family, Stewart stood and reflected on the week.

“I was trying the best I could,” Stewart said. “Anytime one of your family members loses their life, it’s hard to just try to put that to the side and focus on a game.”

Stewart, who will return to Seattle and miss Wednesday’s game at Iowa State, shrugged his shoulders.

“I gotta go watch my brother get buried on Wednesday,” he said. “It’s a part of life, I guess.”

—Edited by Sasha Roe

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