Kansas Men’s Hoops Locker Room Area Gets Facelift
LAWRENCE, Kan. – Late Night in the Phog is quickly approaching and Kansas is soon to embark on the challenge of extending its 10-straight Big 12 Conference Championship run. On Wednesday, the men’s basketball team revealed the new behind-the-scenes home of where the Jayhawks will start their journey – their locker room.
Locker RoomMajor KU basketball facilities renovations were completed in October 2009, a project consisting of new locker rooms, meeting rooms, the players’ lounge and a practice facility. After five seasons in the new digs, KU and Dimensional Innovations, an Overland Park, Kansas, design and fabrication company, joined forces to give the clubhouse and locker room an ultramodern facelift as the Jayhawks enter the 2014-15 season.
“Dimensional Innovations came to us and made a presentation with their expertise and also incorporated our ideas,” Kansas head coach Bill Self said. “We thought we had it pretty good before, but this is so much better.”
Consisting of more than 5,000-square feet, production on the makeover to KU’s locker room and clubhouse began in summer 2014 to bring a taste of modern design with the rich traditions of Kansas basketball.
“They took the space we have and the selling points we have as a basketball program and utilized it with a modern yet traditional feel,” Self said. “I believe it really captures who we are.”
Included in the many aesthetic improvements is a tribute to KU legend Wilt Chamberlain, wall-size photos of a packed Allen Fieldhouse on game day and salutes Jayhawks who played key roles in building the Kansas legacy, including many who have gone on to play in the National Basketball Association (NBA). Additionally, the locker room took on a new look with light boxes at each player’s locker.
“Our players are excited about it,” Self said. “It gives our locker room area a totally different feel and certainly is impressive to anyone that is able to step inside the halls and take a tour of it.”
In addition to the locker room renovation, ground has been broken on the 32,000-square foot DeBruce Center, which will be adjacent to Allen Fieldhouse and house the original rules of basketball written by KU’s first coach and inventor of the game, Dr. James Naismith. Also, McCarthy Hall, a state-of-the-art living facility, will soon be under construction just south and east of Allen Fieldhouse.
“We have so many things going on with our basketball program right now,” Self said. “You have Late Night (in the Phog), the 60th event, the DeBruce Center, the McCarthy Hall but something that has gone unnoticed is that we have totally renovated the interior of our locker room facility.”
The 30th Annual Late Night in the Phog, which ceremoniously tips off the start of basketball practice, is set for Oct. 10. On Oct. 27, historic Allen Fieldhouse will host the “Celebrating 60 Years” event on Naismith Court featuring the last four coaches who have coached in the historic venue: Ted Owens, Larry Brown, Roy Williams and Bill Self.
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