April 14, 2025

🗣️ bring back THE PEOPLE'S WALK-ON

Pictured above is John Crider, a two-year walk-on for the Jayhawks in 98-99 and 99-00. Before enrolling at Kansas, Crider averaged 31 and 11 at Horton High School, absolutely dominating the hoopers of Northeast Kansas.He even once scored 52 in a game — anyone familiar with Kansas State basketball, and its lack of a shot clock, could tell you that scoring 52 in a high school game is basically like scoring 270.

He got to Kansas, hardly played because he wasn’t good at all even for a walk-on (sorry), and transferred to D-II Washburn to play for Bob Chipman after his sophomore year, where he continued to be not all that good (sorry again).

I have always had a place in my heart for Crider. My grandfather was from Horton, and he even once asked Coach Williams to play Crider more during a Williams Fund event. (Roy did not play Crider more). Crider represented the dream of every Kansas kid of a certain generation — to lace ‘em up at KU, despite obvious size and skill deficiencies. I had this dream!

Befitting this black-and-white picture which is easily the best image I could find of Crider playing, a player of his profile on a Jayhawk roster feels like a real relic these days. Currently, the walk-on spots are favor deals with familiar last names. I’m not mad about it, it’s politics, I’m sure Self isn’t doing it because he expressly wants to. But as Kansas Basketball plunges into a mini-existential crisis after its worst season under Self, it’s time to bring back the the people’s walk-on.

When I was a student, Bill Self held grueling walk-on tryouts. The rumor was that you didn’t even touch a basketball the first four days, effectively scaring off all the dudes who bragged about being good in high school seven beers deep (Dollar Night, hopefully) at the Hawk. However, before the 2006-2007 campaign, one kid emerged, like Arthur yanking the sword from the stone — Humboldt’s Brad Witherspoon, a KU Rec Center legend who grinded his way into a spot.

Did Witherspoon play his way into a regular role? No. But it’s the principle of the thing. Right now, it feels like making the Jayhawks on moxie would be a nice kind of mindset reset for the program, even amidst the changing stakes and stakeholders of the NIL era. Let’s not pretend that money isn’t still dictating things… but why not just be less apparent about it? Do we need five of these guys? We don’t need a dorm right now. Let’s open things up. EARNED, NOT GIVEN!

Self is better at almost everything, but Roy’s folksiness led to build relationships in tiny pockets of the state. It’s something out of Hoosiers, and you don’t get that with, like, Norm Roberts’ kid was on the bench (Nico was a solid player though!).

Let’s name some guys: Travis Williams (Rozel, KS). Chris Zerbe (Andover, KS… he got absolutely busy ever time he checked in). Brett Ballard (Hutchinson). Terry Nooner (Raytown, counting it). Jeff Hawkins (Sumner Academy in Kansas City, Kansas). Kills me to include Rockhurst guys, but hell, the Teahens!

The people demand that the walk-on’s former path be restored. It’s better for everyone. I want to root for more guys! Jayhawks, please give me that opportunity as soon as next season.