Chase Buford shares his memories of his Kansas Jayhawks

Tomorrow will be a busy day for Kings Head Coach Chase Buford.

The Kansas alumni will be unable to watch his Jayhawks take on the Tar Heels in the NCAA Men’s Championship game, as the timezones mean Brydens Lawyers Sydney Kings practice will take place at the same time.

“The team comes first,” Buford softly said.

Buford won an NCAA championship with the Kansas Jayhawks in the 2007-08 season, under Hall of Fame coach Bill Self – who will coach the Jayhawks tomorrow.

(Jayhawks coach Bill Self and the team celebrating)

The Buford’s have a rich history at the University of Kansas. Chase’s father, R.C. Buford was on the coaching staff of the Jayhawks in their second NCAA Championship (1988).

Fourteen years ago, the Jayhawks took down Derrick Rose and the University of Memphis to secure Kansas its third NCAA Championship.

On the eve of the championship game between the Kansas Jayhawks and the North Carolina Tar Heels, Buford spoke about what his college experience meant to him.

“I was blessed with such a good team,” he said.

“We had seven guys drafted that following summer, to watch them have really good NBA careers was just cool. And to see them a bunch when I started working in the NBA, to connect back with them and see it come full circle.

“I appreciated the level of talent I got to come into Kansas with and be baptised by.”

(Jayhawks celebrating, Buford shown in the bottom right corner)

Buford said his favourite memory from his collegiate experience was his bonding with his teammates and watching coach Self run a team.

“I liked watching coach Self work and how he ran a team,” he said.

“The way everybody loved to play for him, he made a lot of things fun. He made coming to practice enjoyable and getting to do that every day and being around him was a true blessing.”

Buford has learnt from the best, coaches like Mike Budenholzer and Bill Self have all added to his coaching philosophy. Buford shared what he’s added from Self’s coaching style to his own.

“Just the way he makes everybody feel and make them feel involved,” he said.

“He shows he cares a lot about everyone. Whether they are playing or not, especially in college where players play high minutes. There can be five to ten guys on the end of the bench who don’t get as much playing time.

“Everyone who has played for him has always appreciated that he cared about who they were as a person, their development as a player and as a human being.”

Buford says he’s looking forward to the end of practice tomorrow, an uncharacteristic feeling for the passionate coach.

“I’m looking forward to celebrating a Jayhawks win,” he said.

“I think it would be cool for a coach [Self] to solidify a second National Championship, he’s been to four Final Fours with Kansas and that’d be the icing on the cake for his resume.”

The Kings have two home games left, on Sunday April 17 the Kings will take on the Adelaide 36ers and on Sunday, April 24 the Kings will finish the season against the Illawarra Hawks. Get your tickets here.