McLemore’s Happy Ending

Kansas City, MO – Ben McLemore’s “long and winding road” has been like the Yellow Brick Road that led to Oz. The 6’5″ red-shirt freshman from St. Louis ended up just like Dorothy from the Wizard of Oz … in Kansas.

McLemore played for the now defunct Wellston High School in northern St. Louis and with the school and its academic standing in question the uber-talented swing man went on a journey that took him to Oak Hill Academy in Virginia and Christian Life Center in Texas, but Kansas Head Coach Bill Self was undeterred in his pursuit of this potential “one-and-done” player.

Ben was kind enough to spend a few minutes with me and told me his journey to Lawrence wasn’t easy.

It may have been a tough process for McLemore to arrive at Kansas, but since his arrival he has made it tough on college opponents.  He’s averaging over 16 points per game and over five rebounds per contest. If you don’t think the St. Louis prep scene wasn’t special three years ago, think of Washington Wizards guard Bradley Beal, Arkansas wing B.J. Young and McLemore all gracing the hardwoods in the STL.  McLemore transferred in what would have been his senior year and Young fought injuries and suspensions, but those three will be making their mark for a long time and we will remember that time period as one of the greatest in recent St. Louis high school history.

Coach Self told me he was never deterred from recruiting McLemore and isn’t surprised by  his great freshman season.

Ben is proud of his St. Louis roots and was extremely proud that his little brother Kevin and his high school’s run to the Missouri Class 4 State Championship game.  The Vikings came up short, but Ben says he’s proud of Kevin’s accomplishments.

Ben’s not quite to Oz yet, since he’ll probably be in the NBA very soon.  During shoot arounds today at the Sprint Center, hundreds of Kansas fans were chanting “one-more-year, one-more-year”.  We’ll wait and see on that one, but the young man seems to be poised to achieve great things.

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