Self says McCormack is star of KU basketball camp, three on perimeter also strong
Kansas basketball coach Bill Self cited junior forward David McCormack as most outstanding player in the Jayhawks’ 2020-21 preseason camp.
“I think David has separated himself as far as the quality of play maybe from anybody in the gym. I think David has been our best performer up to this point moreso than anybody in our gym,” Self said Thursday during a weekly video call with reporters. “That’s not putting anybody down. I’m just saying I think he’s doing really well right now.”
He said the 6-10 McCormack is “scoring the ball for us. He can score on the block and facing too. He has a nice touch. I’m not predicting anything crazy. I am saying from what we’ve seen so far he’ll be a big source of our offensive output based on how I see us playing through our bigs as much as we like to.”
Self said he could envision McCormack and senior forward Mitch Lightfoot, “giving us a combined 35 to 43 minutes depending on certain situations. However it breaks down they will get their respective minutes regardless. They know they’ll split 40 minutes for the most part. If that’s true I don’t think there’s going to be pressure on the guys (saying) ‘I need to play well to stay in.’ We’ll sub you four or five minutes regardless of whether you are playing well or not, give the other a chance to play,” Self stated.
Perimeter players compete for spots
Self has said McCormack, plus guards Marcus Garrett, Ochai Agbaji and Christian Braun have had outstanding camps.
“The question is going to be Bryce (Thompson) and Jalen (Wilson) and Tyon (Grant-Foster) and Tristan (Enaruna), who is going to kind of emerge out of that — two out of those four or whatever to play a lion’s share of the minutes,” Self said. “I think it’ll switch throughout the year. Early on I don’t think there’s been enough separation to really say who is ahead right now.”
Grant-Foster has stellar practice
Self said junior college transfer Tyon Grant-Foster scored at will at practice on Wednesday.
“He got on a roll that we haven’t had anybody get on a roll here maybe in years,” Self said. “You could also say he’s been the polar opposite of that at times too,” Self added of the 6-7 junior out of Indian Hills Community College and Schlagle High school.
“He just scored the ball (Wednesday). He makes hard shots, gets real baskets, He did some things that without going into too much detail we haven’t had somebody that could get their own like he can when he’s good in a long time. We’ve also had guys that could go get their own better than Tyon if Tyon is not good (on a particular day). We’ve just got to figure out ‘good Tyon’ and get him to be more consistent,” Self added.
Jossell back at practice
Self said freshman guard Latrell Jossell, who had missed several weeks with an ankle injury, is “out there (practicing).
“Knock on wood we’ve been pretty fortunate in that regard (injury situation of team). Latrell is behind. At least he’s out there now, gives us another body to go against. We get nicked up. There hasn’t been anything too significant to report.”
This story was originally published November 12, 2020 at 4:41 PM with the headline "Self says McCormack is star of KU basketball camp, three on perimeter also strong."
