#KU50: 10 Darnell Valentine

The list of Jayhawks to average double figures in four seasons is quite small, but it includes Darnell Valentine. The Chicago native averaged 13.5 as a freshman, 16.1 as a sophomore, 16.5 as a junior, and 13.6 as a senior. By the time it was all said and done, he finished his career with 1,821 points, which at the time was 2nd in school history and is now 6th.

The diminutive guard was also quite efficient, shooting 47.6 percent from the field despite not having the assistance of the three point line. A good outside shooter, no doubt he would have scored even more and would be even higher on this list.

Not that he needed the extra help. Valentine was more than just a scorer, averaging over 5 assists per game for his career (and an assist to turnover ratio of roughly 2 to 1). Valentine also set the KU single season steals mark with 92 as a senior. Oh and he had 91 as a sophomore.

Valentine was the first player in Big 8 history to be named first team All-Conference four years in a row, and he was also named an All-American as a senior. Valentine also was named to the US Olympic team in 1980, but the United States eventually boycotted those Games.

Valentine was one of the more complete guards in Kansas history. A good outside shooter, a capable inside scorer, and a ferocious on ball defender. The one thing keeping him from being higher on this list is a lack of team success: He won just two NCAA tournament games in his four seasons.