Gary Bedore's thoughts: Jeff Graves might play in the NBA. He's a big body who might provide capable minutes in the pros. It's all up to Jeff. If he has a big senior season, who knows? He might be a second-round pick who catches on.

Jeff Graves has a nice touch for a big guy and when he's in games, gives good effort. The knock on Jeff has been his offseason work habits. He hasn't burnt the midnight oil in gymnasiums working out.

But hey ... I haven't followed him around and don't know this for a fact. Maybe he's worked out enough for his own tastes.

I know he's a lot lighter to start the year than last year and is capable of grabbing a lot of key boards.

He'll face some competition from Padgett for minutes, so we shall see if Jeff wants to be the starter and wants to play a lot his senior year. He was an unsung hero last year, filling in nicely when Wayne was out.

GRAVES AT A GLANCE
Favorite food: Grilled cheese. Favorite TV show: Doggy Fizzle Televizzle. Latest DVD purchase: All About the Benjamins. Nickname: JG. Dream date: Beyonce. If I could switch places with a person one day it'd be: Snoop.

After college I plan on: NBA or owning business. Favorite hobby other than basketball: Working out, chilling. Superstitions include: No splitting trees. Favorite actor: Samuel Jackson. Try to mold my game after: Bill Russell: Toughest arena I played in: Baylor.

Favorite vacation spot: Las Vegas. Favorite TV personality: Charles Barkley. Favorite NBA team: Lakers. Favorite NBA player: Shaq. Best friend on another team: Victor Williams, Oklahoma State.

Favorite movie: Bad Boys II. Best player I've ever faced: Robby Graves. Favorite non basketball pro athlete: Bernie Mac. Favorite non basketball pro team: KC Chiefs. Not many people know I am: Scared of spiders. Currently in my CD: David Banner. Favorite video game: NFL 2004.

Overview (courtesy of kuathletics.com)
A thick, powerful forward who has good hands and a knack for the ball... Shows good touch around the basket... Stepped up last season, taking on a starting role in the absence of injured forward Wayne Simien... Collects an impressive number of steals for a big man, usually by anticipating entry passes into the post... Can be a rebounding force on both ends of the floor... A good interior passer... Looking to improve at the free throw line.

Junior Season (2002-03)
Played in all 38 games, starting 25... Averaged 6.0 points and ranked third on the team with 6.8 rebounds per contest... Logged 19.9 minutes per game... Shot 50.9 percent from the floor and 57.6 percent from the line... Tallied 24 blocks, and, at 6-9, managed to record 1.3 steals per game -- good for third on the team... Posted 11 games with double-figure rebounds and had six double-doubles... Scored a career-high 16 points on two occasions, and pulled down a career-best 16 rebounds against Syracuse in the National Championship game on April 7... Finished the season strong, averaging 8.7 points and 9.7 rebounds per game while shooting 62.2 percent from the field in the NCAA Tournament.

Junior College
Played two seasons at Iowa Western Community College... Coached by Jim Morris... Named honorable mention All-America as a sophomore... Averaged 16.6 points and 8.2 rebounds per game his sophomore year... Led the Reivers to a 22-9 record as a sophomore... Shot 65.8 percent from the field in his second campaign... Missed seven games during his sophomore year after having arthroscopic surgery on his right knee... Averaged 9.7 points and 5.0 boards per game as a freshman at Iowa Western.

High School
Lee¹s Summit (Mo.) High School (2000)... A standout forward in basketball, while excelling at tight end and defensive end in football... Named Lee¹s Summit Athlete of the Year as a senior... A McDonald¹s High School All-America nominee... Led the Tigers to the state quarterfinals as a senior... Ranked as one of the top-five tight ends in Missouri as a senior on the gridiron... Coached by Keith Miller.