COLLEGE

Bill Self says staff 'got some things accomplished' on July recruiting trail

Pair of Jayhawks to play overseas in summer

Jesse Newell
Kansas coach Bill Self calls a play during a basketball game.

LAWRENCE — Kansas coach Bill Self hasn’t taken it easy over the last three weeks, crisscrossing the country to watch top basketball recruits during the July recruiting period.

“It’s never a fun month, but I think we got some things accomplished,” Self said Monday at Mario Chalmers’ charity golf tournament in Lawrence. “We’re in on good kids. Whether or not we can close remains to be seen. But certainly, I like the kids that we’re in on.”

Self, who has watched top-10 2015 players like center Stephen Zimmerman and guard Malik Newman, said he doesn’t mind the current July recruiting schedule set up by the NCAA. Division I coaches could evaluate players from 5 p.m. Wednesday through 5 p.m. Sunday in each of the last three weeks.

“The way it is now is actually easy on coaches, but it’s still hard on kids,” Self said. “Kids are worn out. They’re playing too much. I think you could possibly see some kids lighten the load moving forward because it’s actually too much for kids, and you’re having a lot of kids get injured when they get tired.”

Self also was asked about signee Svi Mykhailiuk, who is averaging 17.2 points per game for his native Ukraine in the U18 European Championships. Mykhailiuk, who also is averaging 3.8 rebounds and 2.8 steals, has helped Ukraine to a 5-0 record.

“He’s a talented kid,” Self said. “Of course, he’s young and green and not strong yet, but I think our fans will be very excited once he gets here.”

Self said Mykhailiuk would continue working with the Ukrainian national team following the U18 Championships which end Sunday. The plan is for Mykhailiuk to arrive on KU’s campus in early September.

KU FORWARDS TO PLAY OVERSEAS KU forwards Landen Lucas and Hunter Mickelson will both work on their games during foreign basketball tours in August.

Lucas will play for Athletes in Action from Aug. 8-13 in Estonia and Latvia, while Mickelson will participate with Guy Rancourt’s USA East Coast Basketball Team from Aug. 4-8 in Estonia and Finland.

Mickelson, a 6-foot-10 junior forward, also will receive instruction from South Carolina coach Frank Martin, who is part of the East Coast staff.

“I'm looking forward to the experience,” Mickelson said. “I haven't played an official game in a while, so I'm going over there and brushing up a little bit.”

Lucas, a 6-10 sophomore forward, will be joined on this year’s Athletes in Action roster by K-State's Brandon Bolden, Wichita State's Darius Carter and Baylor's Royce O’Neale and Ish Wainwright.

KU's Jeff Withey (2011), Jordan Juenemann (2011) and Christian Garrett (2012) played for Athletes in Action in previous years.

“I'm looking forward to just playing, being out there and getting the chance to play a lot,” Lucas said. “It's been a couple years since I have played many minutes, so I think it will be good, especially for the upcoming season.”

CHALMERS IN TOWN Former KU guard Mario Chalmers was back in Lawrence on Monday to host his sixth annual golf tournament at Alvamar Golf Club, with proceeds benefiting his Mario V. Chalmers Foundation and Mario’s Closet initiative at Lawrence Memorial Hospital.

Chalmers, who re-upped with the Miami Heat this offseason on a reported two-year, $8.3 million deal, admitted the challenge would be different next season following LeBron James’ departure.

“You can’t replace a guy like that,” Chalmers said. “He was a mentor to me, someone I was very close with — I still am close with.”

Chalmers, who said he felt comfortable returning to Miami, still has high expectations for himself after averaging 9.8 points and 4.9 assists per game last year.

“I’ve still got a long way to go. I’m only 28,” Chalmers said. “I’m still ticking.”