The Rock Chalkboard

Christian Braun opens up on life inside the NCAA 'bubble'
Mental health has been a popular topic of conversation among KU basketball players and coaches this year. At one point, coach Bill Self noted it wouldn't necessarily be the safest thing to send the team home for the holidays, but that it might be necessary when considering the mental health of players. The Jayhawks ultimately opted to allow players to return home.

Getting to know newly-offered Kansas football target Karson Jones
Karson Jones had been waiting on his Kansas football offer for quite some time. Among the first players contacted by new O-line coach Lee Grimes when he took over his spot at Kansas, Jones was in daily contact with Grimes at one point, though he was still hoping to receive the call to let him know he had a scholarship offer.

"It'd be a dream come true," Jones told Phog.net back in February.

How KU basketball's rotation, game plan will be different on Saturday
Even when his teams have had shooters, the KU coach has spoken to the idea of using a paint touch to suck in the defense, creating space for the open shot. But such a thing may look a little different as the Jayhawks take the court on Saturday at 12:15 p.m. CT against Eastern Washington, as starting big man David McCormack could be limited.

When each KU basketball player in COVID-19 protocol can return
McCormack (available on Saturday): Will arrive in Indianapolis on Friday and practice

Wilson (TBD): Will arrive in Indianapolis on Monday and could play in Round 2

Enaruna (out for Games 1 and 2): Will arrive in Indianapolis after the first two rounds

Bits o Chalk

Massage therapists sue Houston Texans QB Deshaun Watson; he calls allegations 'baseless'
The first lawsuit, which was filed Tuesday night and appeared on the Harris County district clerk's website on Wednesday morning, alleges inappropriate conduct in a massage therapist's home in Houston in March 2020.

Former NBA center Shawn Bradley paralyzed as result of bike accident
Former NBA center Shawn Bradley suffered a traumatic spinal cord injury that left him paralyzed, according to a statement released on his behalf by the Dallas Mavericks.

Moses Wright to miss Georgia Tech's first-round game in NCAA men's basketball tournament, sources say
Georgia Tech star Moses Wright, the ACC player of the year, will miss the Yellow Jackets' first-round game against Loyola Chicago in the NCAA men's basketball tournament, sources told ESPN on Wednesday night.

Milwaukee Bucks' Giannis Antetokounmpo 'just having fun' with sit-down celebration
After Giannis Antetokounmpo hit a turnaround jumper in the lane to cap a personal 7-0 run and give his Milwaukee Bucks what turned out to be an insurmountable lead in an eventual 109-105 victory over the 76ers on Wednesday night, he celebrated by sitting down on the court inside Philadelphia's Wells Fargo Center and staring straight into the camera with a smile on his face.

On Instagram, Vanessa Bryant reveals names of officers who allegedly shared helicopter crash scene pictures
Vanessa Bryant, the widow of Los Angeles Lakers superstar Kobe Bryant, revealed portions of her lawsuit against the Los Angeles County Sheriff's and Fire departments in a series of Instagram posts on Wednesday.

Eraser Dust

Atlanta shootings: Unsettling questions surround the motive behind three Atlanta-area spa shootings as Asians in the US face increased hate - CNN
The suspect told police he believed he had a sex addiction and that he saw the spas as "a temptation ... that he wanted to eliminate," Cherokee County sheriff's Capt. Jay Baker said at Wednesday's news conference.

IRS delays tax filing deadline until May 17 - CBS News
The IRS is planning to delay its customary April 15 tax filing deadline until May 17, giving taxpayers some breathing room in an unusually chaotic filing season.

Whitefish restaurant says bullying, harassment closed doors | KECI
Peerman Farmstead, a restaurant and bakery in Whitefish, says bullying and harassment caused them to shut their doors for a few days this week. Owners say people called, emailed and left Facebook comments to harass them. “They don’t pay their employees, it’s a toxic work environment, there are conspiracies of all sorts,” Peerman Farmstead front end manager Stuart Berg said. Berg claims part of the reason behind the harassment is the business’s mask policy. The restaurant doesn’t require people to wear them.

Super Nintendo World opens at Universal Studios Japan | CNN Travel
Children and adults alike waited in line for their turn to experience the world's first Super Nintendo World and its life-sized Mushroom Kingdom, which opened Thursday at Universal Studios Japan in Osaka.

Where to stream the 50 best comedies since 2000
Comedy is subjective, and what makes one person chuckle may leave another stone-faced. Pure laugh count is an unreliable barometer of whether a comedy—a very flexible genre, as evidenced by the sheer variety of movies listed below—is worth your time. Did we miss anything essential? Make the joke on us and correct our oversights in the comments below.

The A.V. Club chooses 9 of the best album covers
What’s your favorite album artwork?