The Rock Chalkboard

2022 Kansas commit Nikki Taylor looking to visit this summer
The last month has been a bit of a whirlwind for 2022 athlete Nikki Taylor, who committed to Kansas in mid-April. Taylor has seen the staff turn over at the University of Kansas, and he's started to think ahead to what his own college career will look like.

Dates announced for 2021 Big 12 Media Days
The Big 12 Conference has announced the dates for its 2021 Media Days this coming summer and stated that they will be performed in-person. On Wednesday, the Big 12 announced that this year’s media days will take place Wednesday and Thursday, July 14-15 at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Tex. Day 1 of the event will feature Iowa State, Kansas State, Oklahoma, TCU and West Virginia; while Baylor, Kansas, Oklahoma State, Texas and Texas Tech are slated for July 15.

Analysis: Jalen Coleman-Lands could fill familiar role for KU basketball
KU basketball has added a new transfer commitment just days after filling the roster with the addition of Arizona State guard Remy Martin. Wednesday's addition — of Iowa State sharpshooter Jalen Coleman-Lands — is particularly of note given the Jayhawks are now one over on scholarships.

Report: Kansas, Alabama headline early-season tournament
According to Rothstein, Orlando will play host to an early-season tournament featuring Kansas, Alabama, Miami, Dayton and others. The Jayhawks and Crimson Tide are considered among the top contenders in the Big 12 and SEC respectively. Belmont, Drake, North Texas and Iona are the other teams in the field, and all have recently been among the best programs from their respective conferences. Previous iterations of Orlando-based MTE's have taken place at Disney World's Wide World of Sports.

Iowa State transfer Jalen Coleman-Lands commits to Kansas
Earlier this week, Kansas appeared to fix its last major remaining hole by landing Arizona State point guard Remy Martin. But on Wednesday, former Iowa State guard Jalen Coleman-Lands committed to the Jayhawks, adding another shooter to the mix and appearing to put Kansas one scholarship over the limit.

Bits o Chalk

Golden State Warriors frustrated by loss, confident they'll bounce back vs. Memphis Grizzlies
"We'll be ready," Warriors star Stephen Curry said after the game. "Right now, it sucks. We played pretty well tonight. Missed this type of environment. It was a lot of fun -- high intensity, high competitive level. Proud of everybody that set foot on the floor tonight.

LeBron James delivers in clutch as Los Angeles Lakers take 7th seed in NBA playoffs
The Los Angeles Lakers' postseason run opened with Wednesday's win-and-you're-in play-in game against the Golden State Warriors. And it took everything the defending champions had to win it, 103-100.

Tim Tebow signs contract with Jacksonville Jaguars as tight end
The 2007 Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback signed his contract with the Jacksonville Jaguars on Thursday as a tight end, reuniting him with Urban Meyer, his former head coach at Florida.

Eraser Dust

Gaza Conflict Stokes ‘Identity Crisis’ for Young American Jews - The New York Times
A new generation is confronting the region’s longstanding conflict in a very different context, with very different pressures, from their parents’ and grandparents’ generations.

House votes to form Jan. 6 commission
The bipartisan legislation, which was introduced by Reps. Bennie Thompson, D-Miss., and John Katko, R-N.Y., passed the Democratic-controlled House 252-175.

Drinking any amount of alcohol causes damage to the brain, study finds - CNN
"The more people drank, the less the volume of their gray matter," Topiwala said via email.

The Short Wild Life of Demersville - Flathead Beacon
The town of Demersville emerged 130 years ago and quickly developed into a vibrant boomtown that laid the roots for the modern Flathead Valley before abruptly vanishing

Kalispell nurses union votes to authorize labor strike if agreement is not reached | KECI
Nurses at Logan Health in the Service Employee International Union say they voted to authorize a three-day unfair labor practice strike if the hospital’s management continues to refuse to bargain in good faith.

Kalispell police issue rental property scam alert | KECI
The Kalispell Police Department says they’re hearing about an influx of scamming activity related to rental properties. They say scammers are listing properties on sites like Craigslist and asking for payment through apps such as PayPal and Venmo.

Paul Mooney, who wrote for Richard Pryor and appeared on ‘Chappelle’s Show,’ dies at 79 - The Washington Post
He served as Pryor’s longtime writing partner and became known as an incisive comedian in his own right.