[ Drew Gooden and Jeff Graves have never played together... ]

Topeka Capital-Journal, The, Apr 21, 2002 by Ric Anderson Capital-Journal

By Ric Anderson

The Capital-Journal

LAWRENCE --- Drew Gooden and Jeff Graves have never played together and probably never will, but Gooden is pushing Graves to improve his game nonetheless.

Gooden's decision to forego his senior season and enter the NBA draft leaves Kansas needing a solid contribution from Graves, the 6- foot-9 Iowa Western Community College transfer who signed with KU earlier this year. Same goes for signee Moulaye Niang --- although perhaps to a lesser extent since Niang shapes up as more of a long- term project --- as well as the Jayhawks' returning players.

"There is nothing we can do now except to challenge these guys in the offseason to make up for it, and the new guys we have coming in have to be better than we thought they would," KU coach Roy Williams said.

Gooden, a 6-foot-10 All-America forward who's projected as a top six or seven NBA pick, was KU's top scorer and rebounder with 19.8 points and 11.4 boards. Replacing him wouldn't be easy under any circumstances, Williams said, but the job is simply impossible under the current recruiting calendar.

"When youngsters make decisions at this time of the year to go to the NBA, you can't replace them," he said. "That's one of the bad things and something I would probably change. If you are going to change something, don't let anybody sign until after all the guys have decided to go to the NBA."

As it is, most incoming players commit during the fall signing period, leaving a relatively limited supply of talent for the month- long spring signing period that began early this month.

But after getting letters of intent last fall from Graves and Niang, a 6-9, 205-pound forward from Christian High in El Cajon, Calif., Williams continued seeking recruits for the 2002-03 class.

He should know next week whether he'll be able to add another signee.

Coffeyville Community College coach Jay Herkelman said Friday that he expected Red Ravens freshman Devin Smith to choose a school by Wednesday after making his final two visits this weekend.

Herkelman said Smith, a 6-6 guard/forward, was wowed by KU during a three-day visit beginning April 12.

"He really liked the guys and thought he'd fit in with the guys coming back," he said. "And that's a big thing for Devin, because we had a pretty tight-knit group here."

While still pushing for 2002-03 recruits, Williams also has been laying the groundwork for the 2003-04 class.

Kris Humphries, a 6-9 forward from Minnetonka, Minn., was in town this weekend and attended Gooden's news conference on Friday.

Beginning Friday, 6-11 Reno (Nev.) High center David Padgett will be in town for an official visit.

Padgett's father and coach, Pete, said Padgett would take three visits this spring, including one to Duke. He said he had no idea when his son would make a commitment, but added that KU had made a good impression on Padgett.

"Obviously, they're one of the premiere programs in the country, and they've worked extremely hard in recruiting him," Pete Padgett said. "And when you have a program of that caliber, most anybody in the country would be interested."

Ric Anderson can be reached at (913) 796-6352 or randerson@cjonline.com

EARL RICHARDSON/The Capital-Journal

Kansas coach Roy Williams, left, smiled Friday as Drew Gooden talked about his decision to head to the NBA a year early.