Thursday, November 6, 2008
Brady Morningstar might as well laugh about it because he knows the jokes aren’t going away.
His teammates and coach Bill Self just have too much fun teasing Morningstar about his age to stop. Morningstar says it’s not brought up every now and then – the age jokes are daily. He expects to be greeted that way.
“So,” teammates ask Morningstar, “how old are you today?”
He’s 22 years old, actually. Before the end of the season, Morningstar will turn 23. That makes him the oldest Jayhawk on this year’s roster – he edges out senior forward Matt Kleinmann by a month.
And yes, Morningstar is only a sophomore.
There aren’t many sophomore college basketball players who graduated from high school in 2005. In fact, Morningstar, who was a redshirt last season, believes he’s the oldest sophomore basketball player in the country.
“I think I am,” Morningstar said. “I probably am.”
Joking aside, Morningstar’s age could help him this year. Out of all the players who could possibly contribute significant minutes this season, only junior guard Sherron Collins has played for Kansas as long as Morningstar. They’ve both been on the roster for three years.
Morningstar was one of the standout performers in Kansas’ 98-79 exhibition victory against Washburn Tuesday. He made seven of 11 shots from the field, scored 15 points and played stellar defense in his first career start at Allen Fieldhouse.
Morningstar credited the red-shirt year in part for his strong opening performance. He feels more comfortable with the speed of the game and the complexities of the Kansas offense. Self said guarding current NBA players Mario Chalmers and Brandon Rush in practice last year helped Morningstar, too.
“Brady has become a pretty good defender,” Self said.
A lot of adjectives can be used to describe Morningstar’s basketball career path that led him to this point. One that can’t is ‘traditional.’
Morningstar starred locally at Lawrence Free State High School as a senior in 2005. He averaged 18 points per game, won the Sunflower League Player of the Year award and outshone cross-town Lawrence High rival Brennan Bechard, who isnow a Jayhawk teammate.
But he wasn’t quite ready for college basketball. So Morningstar spent a year at New Hampton Prep School in New Hampshire. He committed to Kansas for the next season.
“Coming to college out of high school is a huge change offensive-wise, speed-wise and strength-wise,” Morningstar said. “I’ve got three years already and haven’t stepped on the court so I know a lot more than I did when I came here.”
Well, he did step on the court during his freshman season, but not much. Morningstar appeared in 16 games for an average of just less than six minutes per game.
When it became clear last season that guards loaded Kansas’ roster, Self asked Morningstar to take a redshirt. If Morningstar resented the move, he sure hasn’t shown it.
After the Washburn game, Morningstar described it as “the right decision” and said he was glad he made the choice. Self thinks it’s positive that Morningstar still has three years of eligibility left.
“I hope so. Time will tell,” Self said. “I think he will be better as a 26-year old senior than a 23-year old sophomore.”
But it must have been hard for Morningstar last year, right? He sat on the bench while his teammates contributed to a historic season by setting a school-record with 37 wins and winning a national championship.
Morningstar said the team’s success didn’t feel any different than if he would have played. He doesn’t have time to think about it, anyway. Just like he doesn’t have time to be in awe when he hears his name called in the starting lineup at Allen Fieldhouse.
Morningstar has waited long enough. Nothing is going to distract him now.
“It’s all business now,” Morningstar said.
Except for the punch lines about his age. He just laughs those off.
“Oh well,” Morningstar said. “I’ll stay in college as long as I have to.”
— — Edited by Scott R. Toland
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