Kansas basketball: All-time Bill Self era Jayhawks team

6 of 8

Kansas basketball (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images) /

Guard/Forward: Brandon Rush (2005–2008)

Brandon Rush is one of the few Jayhawks with both an NCAA title and NBA title. He was a major contributor for the Jayhawks in their 2008 title season with his Final Four performance coming to mind. Here are some of Rush’s numbers:

2008 NCAA champion
Three-time Big 12 champion
2008 Third-team All-American
Three-time first-team All-Big 12
Jersey retired

In his junior season, Rush averaged 13.2 points and 5 rebounds per game over the course of the year. Rush was a major catalyst for the Jayhawks during the 2008 NCAA Tournament. The Final Four game in particular was special.

At one point in the game, the Jayhawks were beating the Tarheels 40-12, and Rush had 12 of Kansas’ points. A now iconic graphic flashed on the screen showing that Rush had as many points as the North Carolina team had combined. Rush would go on to finish that game with 25 points and seven rebounds.

After totaling 12 points and six rebounds en route to a championship, Rush declared for the NBA Draft. He was nearly a lottery pick, taken at No. 13 overall by the Portland Trailblazers. Rush would eventually get an NBA ring in 2015 with the Golden State Warriors.

Others considered: Andrew Wiggins, Travis Releford

Home/Kansas Jayhawks Basketball