Kansas basketball: Lagerald Vick deserves NBA Combine invite

The NBA combine begins in a few days. Lagerald Vick should not have to wait to for a chance to show what he can do.

Kansas basketball fans are thrilled for five members of the 2017-18 team. They know they are going to the NBA Draft Combine in Chicago May 16.  We expected senior stars  Devonté Graham and Svi Mykhailiuk to get invitations.  As a matter of fact, we all expected invites for Malik Newman and Udoka Azubuike.  I am surprised Billy Preston is on the invite list. While Preston probably deserves the invitation,  Lagerald Vick definitely does.

Imagine Vick’s disappointment when the NBA left him off the official invite list. The junior from Memphis is only an alternate.  I realize he still has a great chance to attend but Kansas basketball fans feel badly for Vick.

Take a close look at the list. It includes the 69 best and brightest from college basketball.  Vick deserves his name there too. It really makes no sense and I’m sure Vick wonders why?

Vick isn’t just another college player. Early on, he led this Big 12 Championship and Final Four team in scoring. He had a rough stretch but some of that can be blamed on some health issues. Other than Newman, Vick had as successful a month of March as any member of the Jayhawks.

When Vick announced in early April he wanted to go pro but was not going to hire an agent, I immediately hoped he might return for a senior season. I realize that is wishful thinking. On the other hand, Vick obviously knows what Frank Mason and Devonte Graham accomplished in their fourth year with Bill Self.

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Vick is an amazing athlete. He can jump with just about anyone and can shoot the lights out. This year’s NBA draft is crowded. Kansas basketball fans all want the best for Vick. If he doesn’t get the league’s attention this year, we’d love to see him in Crimson and Blue one more time.