Kansas basketball: Jayhawks do not need a regular game in Wichita

The Kansas basketball team received an amazing welcome to the NCAA Midwest Regional. Should the Jayhawks play annually in Wichita?

The Big 12 Conference regular season and tournament champions arrived in Wichita Tuesday. The bus trip to Sedgwick County from Lawrence to took about three hours. Bill Self’s team typically takes a bus ride or two during the regular season. This was the team’s first trip to Wichita and the program’s first game there in many years.

The team’s arrival Tuesday night was typical of arrival at any NCAA tournament hotel. Their arrival for Wednesday’s workout at Intrust Bank Arena was anything but typical. As a matter of fact, an overflow crowd of almost 14,000 fans showed up to watch, according to the arena’s social media report.

This wasn’t a game. All the Jayhawks did was run a few drills, shoot a few shots and smile. Big 12 Player of the Year and one of four finalists for the Naismith Player of the Year Award Devonte Graham led the team onto the court. The crowd went wild. The Kansas Basketball Instagram account showed videos of the wild and crazy scene.

Fun field trip

In addition to typical Jayhawk fans, schools in the area bussed in hundreds of students to watch, wave signs and cheer. I don’t remember any field trip that could rival this one. Head coach Bill Self seemed impressed. He shared his thoughts on Wichita with the herd of media. He mentioned Perry Ellis, Darnell Valentine and other Jayhawks from Wichita.

"Well, I mean, my perception of Wichita as a basketball city has been very, very high, going way back."

On twitter, fans suggested the Jayhawks needed to consider the possibility of playing a regular season game annually in Wichita. The team already plays annually at Sprint Center. Others said the team might want to play every other year in Wichita.  I’m sure the Sprint Center management won’t like that idea.

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The Jayhawks do not need another Kansas venue

The other Big 12 team in Kansas plays regularly in Wichita. That doesn’t mean the Jayhawks should do the same. Coach Self suggested in the past that playing another game in Kansas is not in the program’s best interest. I agree with the coach. After Wednesday he might change his mind.

You certainly don’t want to take a game away from Allen Fieldhouse. Many Jayhawk fans also don’t want to waste time playing Wichita’s American Athletic Conference team. The fans in Wichita should drive to Lawrence to watch the Jayhawks play.