After emotional year, Kansas basketball forward KJ Adams wins ‘Mr. Jayhawk’ award
Kansas forward KJ Adams was announced as the winner of the 2024 Danny Manning “Mr. Jayhawk” Award at KU basketball’s end-of-season banquet on Thursday.
“The Mr. Jayhawk award is named after Danny,” Kansas coach Bill Self said. “(His) class, humbleness, performance, winning (and being a) proud alum — all the things you would want to be in a player. Danny Manning basically represented all those great characteristics.”
What made Adams this year’s recipient? For starters, Self said, he had to overcome difficulty off the court and compartmentalize when it was time to return to basketball.
Yvonne Adams, his mother, died in November after a fight with cancer for two years.
Adams averaged 12.6 points and 4.6 rebounds in the 2023-24 season, while not missing a single game. That included flying to Austin for his mother’s funeral between wins over UConn and Kansas City.
Self also praised Adams’ positive attitude, saying “nobody” can match Adams’ positivity in the face of adversity and being “broken up inside.”
“We take it for granted because he is so big and so strong, that we think he should be able to do anything,” Self said. “I will tell you what he did this last year wasn’t common. It was something mere mortals don’t do.”
Adams didn’t take winning the award for granted.
“It means a lot,” Adams said. “I definitely wasn’t expecting that at all. It definitely came as a shock, but I am really grateful that I got this award.”
He continued.
“It’s just amazing,” Adams said. “(Self is) one of the best coaches ever, and just to hear him say all those nice things (about) how I persevered really meant a lot.”
Ultimately, Self believes Adams embodies what the award is all about, saying Adams “played for something that was far bigger than KU and himself.”
“We’re all proud of him,” Self said. “But he deserves that.”
Recently, Adams announced his return for his senior season with the Jayhawks. In his announcement, he said he had never considered leaving — a sentiment he reiterated on Thursday.
“I feel like I’m going into (the offseason) the same,” Adams said. “I try to play my hardest every season, but it definitely (gives you) a little kick when it’s going to be your last season.”
Ultimately, Adams is fulfilling his lifelong dream by playing at Kansas.
“It means a lot to come back and play for coach Self,” he said. “It’s always a dream of mine to play here, so I am glad I got to be able to.”
