ESPN.com - Jeff Withey's improvement

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Wednesday, February 6, 2013
Jeff Withey's improvement

By Joe Kaiser

We've written quite a bit about the numbers and the upside of Kansas center Jeff Withey, and he's now only four blocks behind Greg Ostertag on KU's all-time blocks list and 10 behind Texas' Chris Mihm on the Big 12's all-time list. What led to such a big improvement over the last two seasons?

“We’ve had a lot of guys come far. Travis Releford or certainly, Thomas Robinson. Or Cole Aldrich. We’ve had some guys come a long ways,” Jayhawks coach Bill Self says in today's Lawrence Journal-World. “But Jeff has probably surprised me, pleasantly, as much as anybody we’ve had. He’s just been terrific.

“I would say he is stronger, which breeds confidence. But the biggest thing is that he’s fallen in love with basketball. When you’re not in love with it and you play because you’re tall or whatever, then you go through it and start seeing some success. He’s fallen in love with that. And I think that has as much to do with it as anything.”

Our own Jay Bilas recently rated Withey the third-best big man in the nation behind only Gonzaga's Kelly Olynyk and Indiana's Cody Zeller. Here's Bilas with more.

Jay Bilas

Withey protects the rim like few others

"Withey's worth as a player comes from neither his 13 points per game nor 8.3 rebounds per game, but rather his ability to block and change shots. Withey blocks 4.2 shots per game, and changes much more than that. Withey's blocks stay in bounds and allow his team to take the ball the other way and turn defense into offense. Also, Withey protects the rim and can still score in the post and make free throws. Noel of Kentucky is a superior athlete and prospect, but right now Withey is the better all-around player."