Chat with former KU basketball player Greg Gurley

Welcome to our online chat with former KU basketball player Greg Gurley.

The chat took place on Wednesday, January 11, at 1:30 PM and is now closed, but you can read the full transcript on this page.

Moderator: Hi and welcome to our chat today. I'm Andy Samuelson the online sports editor for KUsports.com and I will be today's chat moderator. Today we our joined by former Jayhawk sharp-shooter Greg Gurley, a captain on the 1995 KU basketball team. Thanks Greg for taking time out of your day to join with our KUsports.com readers this afternoon.

Greg Gurley: Great to be here, I look forward to interacting with some true KU fans.

Moderator: I'm sure a lot of people in the area see that you are still associated with the Jayhawks, but for those not in the know, could you briefly describe what you are up to these days?

Greg Gurley: My main job is I'm in the T-shirt business, Collegiate Marketing Services, we run online retail stores at five different universities across the country. Broadcasting-wise I do all the KU home games for Channel 6 on Sunflower Broadband. I've been doing that for six years now. I do some spots on Sports Radio 810 in Kansas City and Metro Sports Television once a week doing a segment on KU, K-State, and Missouri. I'm definitely staying busy.

Moderator: Lets get to some questions.

Jeff, Hays, Kan.: Could KU's big win over Kentucky actually hurt them tonight against the Buffs? Perhaps a letdown game after a season-high outing?

Greg Gurley: I don't think so. If anything it gives them confidence because they can play with teams like Kentucky. Obviously Kentucky isn't looking quite as good losing to Vandy last night. But anytime you can beat a top-rated program like Kentucky it's going to give you a lot of confidence. If Brandon Rush took anything out of that game it's confidence. Anytime you go on the road in this league its tough to win. As good as Kansas has been in Boulder lately, it's always tough to win out there. Plus it's going to be their first true road game, so they have a tough task at hand tonight.

Mike, Topeka, Kan.: I still remember the unheard of five-point play you had against OSU your senior year. Any memories from that game?

Greg Gurley: That was awesome. It was my senior year, the only game I started in my career. We were tied with OSU and whoever won that game won the Big 8 championship, I hit a long three and got fouled at the end of the game. But the referee incorrectly gave me a one-and-one opportunity. I hit both free throws for the unheard of five-point play. I don't know the rules all that well, but I'm pretty sure that was the incorrect call. But I'll take it and that will always go down as a very special moment for me.

Don, Los Olivos, Calif.: Would your rather play Roy William's running game or Bill Self's half court game?

Greg Gurley: I would probably have to say personally that I would rather play the running game because that's what I'm used to. It wouldn't bother me playing either style. But if I had to choose, I'd pick the running game. I mean it was a running style but a controlled running style that fed into our offense. Self has different philosophies, but he's still successful. Not every one has to coach like Roy Williams. There's a little give-and-take with both styles. I would say when you run more there's more chances for mistakes.

Tyler, Fairway, Kan.: Greg, who is the best dunker you have ever seen? Also, which one of your Kansas teammates was the best dunker?

Greg Gurley: That's a pretty easy choice -- Darrin Hancock. Everyone saw what he did in games, but the real amazing stuff happened in practice. It's what he did when no one was around but his teammates in practice that made him legendary. Once in practice he drove the lane and jumped completely over Greg Ostertag. I mean jumped over him like Vince Carter did that Australian guy in the Olympics. Then Darrin did that same thing to that dude on K-State. He by far is the best athlete I've ever played with.

Moderator: Greg, I know I was giving you a little grief in the intro to this chat about your soaring skills, but a lot of people -- probably a lot of KU fans -- only remember you as a shooter. But it's well documented that you really could get up back in the day. What happened?

Greg Gurley: Well midway through my freshman year I started having all these back problems and it completely changed my game. There wasn't one incident that led to the pain. I think it was just the wear and tear of going from high school to college ball. I also had bulked up to 25 pounds over my playing weight from HS. No one had an answer but I played through a lot of pain and I'm paying for it now. But it was well worth it. I chose to play through it instead of having a surgery and redshirting. I used to be a guy who could really jump, so when my back when out that's when I became a three-point shooter.

Cliff, Shawnee, Kan.: What player on this year's squad do you see playing the most critical role in helping the team reach its full potential?

Greg Gurley: I'd probably say it's going to have to actually be two people in C.J. Giles and Sasha Kaun. We have to have some type of inside force. I think C.J. started to come out of his shell a little bit against Kentucky, not really trying to do much but playing his role. But those guys have to crash the glass and rebound on the defensive end. Because there are going to be nights where the guards and outside game are going to get shut down, so for this team to get very far Sasha and C.J. have got to let their post presence be known.

Kevin, Lawrence, Kan.: Is there any truth to the rumor that Kevin Romary has to carry your broadcasts?

Moderator: Well I don't know how many Kevin's there are in Lawrence, but this question sounds like someone is trying to toot their own horn?

Greg Gurley: Actually that is completely true, Andy. I'm still a broadcasting rookie. I talk way too much, I don't let him talk much. He definitely helps me out, especially because he keeps me from saying bad words, so I don't have to keep my hand on the cough button. It's a lot of fun though.

Moderator: Looks like we have time for one last question.

Justin, Pratt, Kan.: What do you think the Jayhawks have to do bare minimum as far as Big 12 record and/or in the Big 12 tourney to get in the Big Dance?

Greg Gurley: I think you have to at least be .500 in the league, probably sitting at about 18, 19 wins. You really want to get over that .500 mark. I think the north is basically wide open. Early you might have picked Iowa State, but now I don't know. I think it's pretty obvious Kansas is going to win a lot of games at home. So if you split on the road I think you are pretty much a shoe in. Then again it depends how many teams go from other conferences and all that. Because right now it appears the Big 12 is not going to get as many teams in as it normally does.

Moderator: Well that's going to do it for our chat today with former Kansas University basketball player Greg Gurley. Thanks a lot Greg for your time today. I'll see you at Allen Fieldhouse on Saturday for the rivalry game with K-State. Jayhawk fans in the area can listen to you and Kevin Romary's 6Sports replay that night at 10:30 p.m. on Sunflower Broadband Ch. 6. Also a big thanks to our KUsports.com readers for all their input into this chat.

Greg Gurley: Thanks for having me today, lets do it again sometime. I love interacting with all those Jayhawk fans. As far as tonight I look for Kansas to come out and smack CU early and maintain a lead. They're a lot better when they're playing with a cushion. It should be an interesting game, a game Kansas should win. But that doesn't mean a whole lot.