Friday, January 25, 2008
Kansan file photo
During his high school days in Bloomington, Minn., Cole Aldrich would often curl up on the couch of his home and watch Big Monday basketball games on ESPN.
Oklahoma’s Longar Longar often caught his attention on the TV. The Sooners’ lanky center was a Minnesota native as well, and Aldrich thought it was “big time” that Longar played for OU.
So when Aldrich banged around with Longar and even blocked one of his shots last week on the same telecast he enjoyed watching as a high school kid, you can bet he was excited.
“I thought it was a thing where I could prove to myself I could hang with the big boys in the conference,” he said. “With Longar Longar being one of the best big men in the conference and even the country, I had some pretty good moves against him and even got a piece of his shot, too.”
Aldrich, a freshman center and McDonald’s All-American, hasn’t hit the big time just yet, but he’s getting closer. He’s averaging 3.2 points and 3.4 rebounds in about nine minutes a game and continues to come off the bench, even as the games and opposing forwards get tougher in conference play.
The Oklahoma game must have given him some extra confidence, because he came out against Missouri last Saturday and made a difference. Sophomore forward Darrell Arthur picked up two early fouls, and senior center Sasha Kaun wasn’t performing at his highest level. The frontcourt needed a lift.
Aldrich came in and grabbed four rebounds and scored two points. OK, two might not be a great accomplishment, but he made sure the Tigers would remember his one basket. Aldrich broke free from DeMarre Carroll, one of the conference’s best big men, and threw down a lob for an alley-oop.
pullquote
I thought it was a thing where I could prove to myself I could hang with the big boys in the conference.
-Cole Aldrich, KU basketball player
“It was exciting,” Aldrich said.
The only surprise about Aldrich’s stat line from the Missouri game was that he didn’t get a block. He rejected two shots Wednesday against Iowa State, giving him 21 on the season.
Aldrich has loved getting blocks since his high school days, when he averaged about four a game. He says blocks “tickle his fancy.”
“I always kind of joke around in practice when I block somebody,” Aldrich said. “I’m like ‘you got Spalding written on your forehead.’”
Arthur often finds it difficult to go against Aldrich in practice for that very reason. He knows every time he goes up against the freshman he could become his next shot-block victim.
“It’s hard to score on him with his long arms,” Arthur said. “It’s pretty tough.”
Arthur, Kaun and senior forward Darnell Jackson are the main reasons Aldrich has been getting limited minutes this season. At most schools, a McDonald’s All-American like Aldrich would be playing at least 20 minutes a night his freshman year. That can’t happen at Kansas.
Arthur and Jackson are the team’s top scorers. Kaun is playing better basketball since moving to the bench. The only way Aldrich can get in is when they need a breather or one of them gets into foul trouble.
“It’s big for us to get guys minutes,” Self said about Aldrich, “but that’s not our focus going in. If you have Darnell, Shady and Sasha, people are telling me, ‘you’re only playing those guys 24 minutes a game’? Those guys deserve to play more to be real honest with you.”
Next year, though, Aldrich might have to be the man. Kaun will be gone. So will Jackson. Arthur, who is projected as a late lottery pick, could leave early for the NBA Draft.
Aldrich said he’d be ready to take on an increased role next season, but for now, he’s enjoying getting the most out of his spot minutes and practicing with some of the best post players in the country.
“Most guys who come in freshman year want to get X amount of minutes and score this many points and this many rebounds and all that,” Aldrich said. “But for me, it’s a learning experience. I think it’s going to workout for the best of me. Going against Darnell and Shady and Sasha is really making me better.”
—Edited by Russell Davies
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