The Jayhawker

There are those can’t-miss prospects. Guys who are just “dudes.” The ones who you just know are going to be great immediately. But then there are players who develop a little more slowly, only to have an incredible impact when the time is right. And when you consider the All-American career of defensive standout Cole Aldrich, he’s one of those guys. It just took time. And during a three-year career with the Jayhawks, he never lost a game at Allen Fieldhouse. Not. One. Time. After leaving Lawrence, Cole lived the dream of playing in the NBA. But it wasn’t always easy, and it’s a grind that most people can’t believe or accept. Aldrich lived and worked that grind for eight seasons in the League. And his work ethic never wavered.

Sherron Collins had the deck stacked against him from the beginning. Small in stature. A violence-filled neighborhood. And a father that was in and out of jail and his life. Despite the challenges, Sherron found role models who would teach him right from wrong, and how to excel in life. That translated to the hardwood, as he became one of the top high school point guards in the country. And when Kansas calls, you listen, and after he arrived in Lawrence, he turned his Jayhawk career into an epic one. He was a consensus first-team All-American, a two-time All-Big 12 selection, and he helped Kansas bring home its first national title since 1988. With his jersey hanging in the rafters of Allen Fieldhouse, there’s no debating Collins’ legacy. He’s an all-timer. And considering how much he had to overcome early in life, it makes his story all the more inspirational.