Kansas basketball: Ranking the top 10 Jayhawks of all time
9. Wayne Simien (2001-2005)
Leavenworth, Kansas native Wayne Simien had the unique opportunity to play for both Roy Williams and Bill Self during his time as a Jayhawk. He’s one of the greatest homegrown Jayhawks of all time, as evidenced by his impressive college resume:
- 2002 National championship runner up
- 3x Big 12 champion
- 2005 Consensus first-team All-American
- 2005 Big 12 Player of the Year
- 2004 Third-team All-American
- 2x first-team All-Big 12
- Jersey retired
Simien was a key contributor on two Final Four teams in his freshman and sophomore seasons, but he really came into his own during his junior year where he averaged 17.8 points and 9.3 rebounds per game. Simien led the Jayhawks to an Elite Eight appearance and was awarded first-team All-Big 12 and third-team All-American honors.
If you thought his junior season was good, wait until you see his senior year stats. Simien out up 20.3 points and 11 rebounds per game as the Jayhawks claimed Bill Self’s first Big 12 title. Simien was awarded the Big 12 Player of the Year Award, and he was also selected as a consensus first-team All-American. Sadly, the Jayhawks would go on to lose in the first round of the NCAA Tournament to fourteen seed Bucknell, and Simien’s career ended.
Despite the disappointing end to his college career, Simien was a big contributor during all four years of his time in Lawrence. His junior and senior seasons were phenomenal, and he definitely deserves a place among the all-time greats at Kansas.