#KU50: 32 Kevin Pritchard

Nowadays better known as one of the more respected NBA front office executives, Kevin Pritchard was once a bit of a program saver. Kansas made the Final Four the season before Pritchard arrived in Lawrence, but with the departure of second leading scorer Ron Kellogg, Kansas needed someone to somehow fill his shoes.

Pritchard didn't quite do that, but he started 30 of the 36 games in his freshman year, and averaged 9.6 points, 2.1 rebounds, and 2.1 assists per game. His next year was certainly most memorable, as he was a starter on the Jayhawks' 1988 national championship team. Pritchard also found himself on the All-Region team that year.

I suppose it is fair to call Pritchard a bit of a compiler. He ranks 13th all-time on KU's career scoring list, but never averaged 15 points per game in a season. Still, as we've seen with a lot of guys in this era of KU basketball, it's tough to justify more shots when playing with Danny Manning.

That's not to say Pritchard was only a scorer. He's 6th all time in Big 8 history in career assists, 8th in career steals, and 12th in effective field goal percentage. And frankly being a 4-year starter at a place like Kansas in an era where not a lot of guys were leaving early for the NBA is incredibly impressive. Pritchard's career probably gets overshadowed by playing with Danny Manning, but it's worth remembering just how good Pritchard was, and if he wasn't the engine of the 1988 title team he was certainly the driver.

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34. Joel Embiid

35. Cedric Hunter

36. Russell Robinson

37. Eric Chenowith

38. Scot Pollard

39. Tyshawn Taylor

40. Darrell Arthur

41. Devonte Graham

42. Jerod Haase

43. Kenny Gregory

44. Wayne Selden

45. Otto Schnellbacher

46. Ryan Robertson

47. Xavier Henry

48. Mark Turgeon

49. Paul Mokeski

50. Charlie T. Black