Analyzing KU’s Transfers, Part Two: Outgoing

Last week we examined the players who came to Lawrence as transfers and ranked them on a scale from "Best to Why’d you come here?" Now it’s time to take a look at the players who intended to play for the entirety of their careers at Kansas but for one reason or another decided to leave Lawrence.

Necessary

JR Giddens (Kansas: 10.7 PPG, 3.7 RPG -> New Mexico: 16.1 PPG, 7.8 RPG)

After the incident at the Moon Bar, JR Giddens’ time in Lawrence was numbered. He was productive in Lawrence and even more so in his new surroundings in New Mexico. He even put in a respectable three-year stint in the NBA for the Celtics and Knicks.

CJ Giles (Kansas: 4.9 PPG, 3.9 RPG -> Oregon State: 6.3 PPG, 5.6 RPG)

This is another case of a player getting out of Lawrence out of necessity. He was actually let go by Kansas and he landed at Oregon State, much closer to his hometown of Rainier, Washington. He only lasted ten games for the Beavers because he habitually showed up late to practice. Since then, he has had a nice career playing for a variety of teams in the Middle East.

A Good Move

Jon Crider (Kansas: Seven total points -> Washburn: 6.2 PPG, 2.1 RPG)

I never really understood why John Crider came to Kansas in the first place. The former Mr. Kansas Basketball from Horton, Kansas never got a chance and eventually transferred to Washburn where he probably should’ve gone in the first place, but I certainly understand the allure of playing at Allen Fieldhouse. Make no mistake about it, I’d take those seven career points and exchange my college experience for them.

Omar Wilkes (Kansas: 1.4 PPG, 0.1 APG -> California: 8.8 PPG, 1.5 RPG, 1.8 APG)

Omar was recruited by Roy Williams (like David Padgett) and decided that one year under Bill Self was enough. The 6’4" guard went to California and put up some respectable numbers in his two years with the Bears.

Tyrone Appleton (Kansas: 17 total points -> Southwest Baptist: N/A

When you transfer from Kansas to Southwest Baptist, you probably made the wrong decision to begin with. I couldn’t find any stats for Tyrone, but I wish him the best.

Quintrell Thomas (Kansas: 1.5 PPG, 2.0 RPG -> UNLV: 4.9 PPG, 3.9 RPG)

He probably saw the writing on the wall once he got to Lawrence. Cole Aldrich and the Morris twins were ahead of him in the rotation (and Jeff Withey was transferring in and Thomas Robinson had committed to KU) and he probably wouldn’t have had a chance to break into the lineup until at least his junior year at best. A good move for Quintrell.

Merv Lindsay (Kansas: 11 total points -> New Mexico: 12 total points -> Texas Wesleyan: 14.4 PPG, 6.6 RPG)

This is another case of a guy figuring out rather quickly that he has no spot on the team. In fact, it looks like he figured it out twice.

Rio Adams (Kansas: 1.1 PPG -> Ohio: Never played ->Odessa College: 12.9 PPG)

See above.

Why?

David Padgett (Kansas: 6.5 PPG, 4.5 RPG -> Louisville: 10.7 PPG, 5.5 RPG)

This one baffles me. Why exactly did David Padgett leave KU? Was it his overbearing father? Maybe. I seem to remember the official reason as being something along the lines of how David thought he could develop better under Rick Pitino at Louisville. Come again? If Padgett had come along a few years later and seen the meteoric rise of KU’s big men, would he have made a similar choice? At least we have that game at the Hearnes Center to remember David fondly by.

Understandable

Marlon London (Kansas: 3.6 PPG, 2.3 APG -> DePaul: 3.6 PPG, 1.8 APG)

In my opinion, Marlon London was one of the most underappreciated Jayhawks of the last twenty years. His game didn’t stand out, but I remember him being reliable and strong. He transferred to DePaul to be closer to home. Can’t really blame a guy for that.

Micah Downs (Kansas: 4.3 PPG, 2.2 RPG -> Gonzaga: 8.6 PPG, 4.1 RPG)

Micah Downs moved from KU to Gonzaga after one year to be closer to his home. He doubled his output once he moved back to Washington, but in my opinion, he never really reached his potential. This guy had all the tools to become a weapon from anywhere on the court and his shooting prowess and size combined should’ve made him impossible to guard.

Alex Galindo (Kansas: 4.1 PPG, 1.6 RPG -> Florida International: 13.8 PPG, 5.9 RPG)

Seeing a trend here? The Puerto Rico native transferred from KU to Florida International in Miami in order to be closer to friends and family. I have a soft spot in my heart for Alex Galindo and I saw him as a guy that could average 15 or so points a game and be a real threat from three-point land. He found some comfort in south Florida and the numbers followed. He now plays for Cangrejeros de Santurce in Puerto Rico and is a member of the Puerto Rican national team.

The Unknown

Andrew White (Kansas: 2.3 PPG -> Nebraska: ???)

Conner Frankamp (Kansas: 2.5 PPG -> Wichita State: ???)

It’s a pretty safe assumption that these two players will do pretty well at their respective schools. They can both shoot and should be given the opportunity for lots of minutes.