Anima

Bill Self asked his 500 or so basketball campers what appeared to be an easy question Sunday afternoon at Horejsi Center.

"Who's the tallest person in the gym today?" Self, Kansas University's third-year hoops coach, quizzed the group during orientation on the first day of his second camp session of the summer.

"Danny Manning," the 8- to 19-year-olds bellowed, referring to the Jayhawks' 6-foot-11 director of basketball operations.

Wrong. Not this day.

Seated inconspicuously against a wall was former Jayhawk center Greg Ostertag, who stretches to 7-2 and weighs 280 pounds.

"I've always been a big fan of Greg's," Self said of the 32-year-old, 10-year NBA veteran who just completed his first year with the Sacramento Kings after nine seasons in Utah.

"I think he doesn't get the credit he deserves basketball-wise. As big as he is, he's a load. He really clogs up the middle, and he's really a solid person. I'd love to have coached him."

Ostertag, who recently picked up a player's option on a two-year deal with the Kings worth $8.4 million, has put together a solid NBA career, mainly as a backup.

This past season was his least productive statistically. Ostertag averaged career-lows in points (1.6 per game) and rebounds (3.0) while averaging 9.9 minutes in 56 contests. He has career averages of 4.8 points, 5.6 rebounds and 20 minutes per contest.

"My career is hopefully going up," Ostertag said Sunday. "It went down, but it's hopefully going back up. I've been working out already for next season, playing golf and fishing, something I always do."

Ostertag, a native of Duncanville, Texas, said playing in Sacramento after all those years in Utah -- where he won Western Conference title rings in 1997 and '98 -- was "different, but good."

"I miss Utah," the soft-spoken big man added, "but at the same time, you have to move on."

Ostertag was Utah's first-round pick in the 1995 draft -- 28th overall.

He hit 37 of 84 shots last season for 44 percent. He made just 13 of 38 free throws for 34.2 percent.

"I go out there, get offensive rebounds, try to change shots," Ostertag said, "whether it's rebounding or blocking shots or putting up six to eight points a night. I've never been a major scorer. So, I don't expect much more than that.

"I feel good. I think I still have a good five, six years left."


http://www.kusports.com/news/mens_ba...l/story/114689