Conner Teahan and Chase Buford Formally Join Kansas Men's Basketball Team

May 25, 2007

LAWRENCE, Kan. – Kansas men’s basketball coach Bill Self has announced that Conner Teahan and Chase Buford have officially enrolled at KU and will be invited walk ons for the 2007-08 season. The tandem will join the rest of the Jayhawk team for summer classes starting in June.<?xml:namespace prefix=”o” ns=”urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office”?>

Teahan, a 6-4 guard, averaged 25 points, eight rebounds and three assists for 2007 state runner-up Rockhurst High School in Kansas City, Mo. In April, Teahan received the Mr. Show-Me Basketball Award by the Missouri Coaches Association. He was the state’s Gatorade Player of the Year his junior and senior seasons and received the DiRenna Award this spring as the Kansas City metro area’s top player.

“Conner had numerous opportunities to go to division one schools on scholarship but he wanted to be at Kansas,” Self said. “I think he is a guy that will have a chance to impact our team in a comparable way that Christian Moody did. He’s not coming here to just be a part of our team. He’s coming here to impact our team from a playing time standpoint as well.”

“I love Conner’s attitude,” Self added. “I love his commitment to Kansas. I feel like we are very fortunate to have him. He has been well coached by Mark Nusbaum at Rockhurst and will come in here prepared to put himself in a position to make a contribution.”

Buford, 6-3 guard from Alamo Heights High School in San Antonio, averaged 9.2 points and 2.7 assists his junior season. Last year he was diagnosed with mononucleosis, which made him miss senior basketball campaign. Prior to his bout with mono, Buford’s senior football season was cut short due to an enlarged spleen. Buford is the son of R.C. Buford, Kansas assistant coach under Larry Brown from 1984-88 and current San Antonio Spurs general manager. Additionally, Chase Buford’s mother, Beth, was a standout golfer at Kansas from 1975-78 before going on to a professional golf career.

“Chase’s family has played a huge role in my life. I care deeply for both his mother, father and grandparents,” said Self, who was a volunteer assistant at Kansas with Buford during the 1986-87 season. “Chase has had a rough go this past year from a physical standpoint. He is excited about being here. He’s excited about playing. I know he loves Kansas and I think he will be a fabulous teammate.”

Teahan and Buford join Kansas fall signees Cole Aldrich and Tyrel Reed. Aldrich is a 6-10 center from Bloomington, Minn., who was named a McDonald’s All-American and the state player of the year by the St. Paul Pioneer Press and Minneapolis Star-Tribune after averaging 22.9 points, 17.6 rebounds and 3.8 blocked shots for state quarterfinalist Jefferson High School in 2006-07.

The Kansas Basketball Coaches Association named Reed, a 6-3 guard from Burlington High School, Mr. Kansas following the 2006-07 season. He averaged 26.4 points, 7.0 rebounds, 5.0 assists and 3.5 steals in leading Burlington to a third-place finish in the state playoffs last March.