Thursday, November 18, 2004
not for long
Mike DeCourcy was wrong. Kansas coach Bill Self has elected to start junior walk-on Christian Moody rather than freshmen recruits C.J. Giles, Sasha Kaun and Darnell Jackson.Unheralded non-scholarship player Christian Moody, who three years ago chose Kansas University over hometown North Carolina-Asheville, Yale and Division Two and Division Three schools such as Montreat, Washington-Lee and Lenore-Rhyne, has earned the right to open the Vermont game next to Naismith/Wooden Award candidate Wayne Simien.
Looks like Moody made the right decision, no? I'm happy for him -- and for the hope his start will give walk-ons and wannabe walk-ons everywhere. But I also urge him to enjoy the playing time while it lasts.
Bill Self may believe his freshmen forwards currently lack the experience and maturity to play productively and unselfishly as members of the Jayhawks' first team. But given time, Giles will win Moody's starting spot. C.J. is much too talented and has much too wide a wingspan to play behind Christian come conference play.
