Jayhawks senior who almost didn't return to Kansas sets team shooting record in near-perfect performance

pulse

November 13, 2018 11:57 PM

Senior Lagerald Vick shot a perfect 8-for-8 from beyond the arc to notch the greatest shooting performance in Kansas program history.

Nobody thought Lagerald Vick would return to Kansas for his senior season.

At the end of last year's Final Four run, there was a mutual understanding between Vick and head coach Bill Self that their time together was in the rearview mirror. Vick declared for the 2018 NBA Draft, and Self heavily recruited Romeo Langford — the No. 5 player in the Class of 2018 ESPN 100 — to take his place.

When it became clear that he would not get drafted, Vick withdrew his name and thought about taking his talents to the G League or overseas. He also considered transferring to another top college basketball program, but playing another season with the Jayhawks seemed completely out of the realm of possibility.

But the Hall of Fame coach and his veteran guard eventually met and put whatever bad blood they had behind them. Vick expressed a genuine interest in returning to Lawrence and convinced Self to take another chance on him. When Langford chose Indiana, Kansas' final scholarship was officially Vick's for the taking.

So far, it looks like the arrangement has worked out for both parties.

The Jayhawks' lone senior erupted for a career-high 32 points on 12-of-14 shooting from the floor against the Vermont Catamounts Monday night. He shot a perfect 8-for-8 from beyond the arc and sank two more field goals with his foot on the three-point line for what constituted the greatest shooting performance in Kansas program history.

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