Big 12 All-Star team's tour of Scandinavia starts Wednesday in Sweden
Tuesday, August 6, 2002
Flying two hours from Dallas to Chicago, then, after a lengthy layover, boarding an 8-hour, 15-minute flight to Stockholm, Sweden, isn't Bryant Nash's idea of a good day.
"I ain't too crazy about the plane trip," groaned Nash, Kansas University's lanky 6-foot-6 junior forward, referring to Monday's marathon journey to Scandinavia, site of the Big 12 Men's Basketball All-Star team's 11-day tour.
"I hate flying. I always have," said Nash, KU's representative on the 12-man Big 12 team coached by Baylor's Dave Bliss.
Nash hates flying, but loves playing basketball. The seldom-used Jayhawk, who is hoping for increased playing time this season, saw the Big 12 excursion as an opportunity he couldn't refuse.
"When we play I'm going to go all out, be more aggressive, show coach (Bliss) what I'm trying to accomplish," said Nash.
He practiced five times in Dallas last weekend prior to Monday's trip. He hit one three-pointer in two tries and had a dunk and six points total in Sunday's first scrimmage.
Not bad for a guy who has hit just two of 10 threes in his career at KU while averaging just under a point a game in 54 games.
"I need to stop passing that up, too," Carrollton, Texas native Nash said of open shots. "I think I need to be a little more selfish."
Of the practices, Nash said: "Everything is going well. Everybody is out there hustling. I think everybody on this team just clicks. We see each other make good passes and good plays, and I think we're going to do pretty well over there in Europe."
Bliss will try to find playing time for Nash, plus Nick Anderson (Texas A&M), Travon Bryant, (Missouri), Will Chavis (Texas Tech), Jason Klotz (Texas), Ivan McFarlin (Oklahoma State), Jake Muhleisen (Nebraska), Pervis Pasco (Kansas State), Lawrence Roberts (Baylor), Jake Sullivan (Iowa State), Quannas White (Oklahoma) and Blair Wilson (Colorado).
"Bryant Nash has great quickness," Bliss said. "The program that he plays with in Kansas has really utilized the quickness of players up and down the floor. With the 24-second clock (used on this tour) Bryant has done a great job."