SAN ANTONIO - Kansas lost to Syracuse in the 2003 NCAA title game, Roy Williams left for North Carolina and Bill Self was hired away from Illinois to coach the Jayhawks.
Cole Aldrich was entering his freshman year at Bloomington Jefferson. Self's staff saw him playing in an AAU tournament. "They offered me later that year," Aldrich said.
The offer was to attend Kansas on a scholarship after he completed four years of high school basketball.
"I fell in love with the place the first time I was down there," he said. "I knew there was a tremendous interest in KU basketball. But after actually being there for a season, the enthusiasm, the intensity is 100 times greater than I anticipated.
"It's crazy. And now to go to the Final Four -- to have thousands of people here to watch us practice -- is amazing."
The 6-11 Aldrich knew he wouldn't play much as a freshman. The Jayhawks have two seniors, 6-11 Sasha Kaun and 6-8 Darnell Jackson, among their big men. Aldrich has averaged eight minutes per game.
"That has been fine," Aldrich said. "I know that because of the players I'm going against in practice -- going against Sasha Kaun every day -- that I'm a much better player."
Aldrich's playing time in tonight's game with North Carolina will be determined by matchups and the foul situation with other players. If he plays, the main assignment will be to keep Tyler Hansbrough and the other Carolina big men off the boards.
