My selections for KU's all-time basketball team include only those players on teams from 1950 on. My interest in KU Basketball began in 1950 and has continued unabated ever since, giving me the opportunity to see and evaluate Jayhawkers.

How's this for a fabulous starting lineup:

Center - Wilt "the Stilt" Chamberlain, 7'2", KU 1957-58. Excepting perhaps Michael Jordan, Chamberlain is the MAN to build a team around. While only playing two seasons at KU, he single-handedly changed basketball. He would have stayed at KU, but for the collapsing defenses of the Big 7 teams, which employed 3 or 4-on-one traps against the Big Dipper. His career averages of 29.9 points and 18.9 rebounds per game are the best in Jayhawk history. Wilt played 14 seasons in the NBA (in '63 he recorded his 100 point game and averaged 50.4 ppg). He is the NBA's second all-time leading scorer.

Power Forward - Clyde Lovellette. 6'9", KU 1950-52. Although a Center in college and most of his pro career, I think he would be a dominant strong side force in today's game. He led the '52 Jayhawks to the national title, and then dominated on the '52 Olympics Gold medal team. He ranks as KU's third all-time leading scorer and eighth-leading rebounder, and played 12 seasons in the NBA.

Small Forward - Raef LaFrentz, 6'11", KU 1995-98. He led what I believe is KU's all-time best team in '98 (except for maybe '52). He ended his Jayhawk years as KU's second all-time leading scorer with 2,066 points, and is second on the rebounding list.

Shooting Guard - JoJo White, 6'3", KU 1966-69. Got to see him up close (and a lot) during my student stint at KU - even crossed paths in the B-School. As a freshman, he led the great '66 Kansas team which lost to Texas Western, which then went on to beat Kentucky in the historic national championship "black vs. white game". White actually won the game on a last second shot, but a ref ruled that he stepped out of bounds (film later showed he was at least 6" in) - ah, what could have been! White was a star for the Celtics, and lasted 13 years in the NBA.

Point Guard - Danny Manning, 6'10", KU 1985-88. OK, I know that he wasn't a PG, but he sure could have been, and perhaps would have been the NBA's first 6'10 point, had not his first ACL happened. Danny, of course, together with the "Miracles", won the '88 Championship. He is KU's all-time leading scorer with 2,951 points and leading rebounder with 1,187 caroms. Now in his 11th pro season, his career is mainly noted by his ability to recover sucessfully from 3 ACL injuries - which stunted his promise to become one of the NBA's all-time best.

Sixth Man - Darnell Valentine, 6'2", KU 1978-81. Would fill in at PG, while Danny could move to spell any of the other three big men. A home grown product from Wichita, Darnell stands as KU's fourth all-time leading scorer and ranks third in assists. He proved to be a strong man in the Pro's during his 11 year NBA career. My website, HoopsZone.net lists my next eight, and the best of the rest, as well as shows the best of the pre-modern era (before 1950).

- Ken Johnson ('70)