If Cole Aldrich and Xavier Henry were nervous, they certainly didn’t show it. The two former U. Kansas Jayhawks were all smiles as they spoke with media Wednesday before the NBA draft, laughing about fashion and looks and cozying up to each other for a picture as if they were the world’s tallest homecoming king and queen.
The pair sat at tables no more than 15 feet apart but were separated by the media hordes. That didn’t stop Aldrich from reminding Henry that he was owed a few dinners now that they were making their own money.
Henry cracked that it would be his name called first on draft day (both are projected in the six to 15 range).
“Man, me, of course,” Henry said with a smile before offering his analysis. “I’m prettier.”
Aldrich – whose oft-missing tooth was covered for his moment in the spotlight – was also cracking jokes with media members.
“This is just me styling, but I do look good, don’t I?” he said after being asked about the plaid vest he wore over a shirt and tie.
Henry said he was so loose because the hard work, for the moment at least, was over. Tomorrow he’ll be picked in the first round of the NBA Draft, likely within the top 15 picks, fulfilling a dream he’s had since a child.
“You’re nervous because you don’t know where you’re going to go,” Henry said. “Other than that I’m not really nervous at all. I’ve done all the hard work I had to do, all the predraft workouts. All I can do is wait.”
Aldrich, who spent three years at Kansas as one of the most dominant defensive centers in the school’s history, said all he has worried about through the predraft workouts is what he brings to the table.
“This whole process is just worrying about what I can do, what I can give to a team and working on my game for the two months prior to this and showing teams what I am as a player,” Aldrich said. “If they want that for a guy on their team, then I’d love to be that guy.”
Aldrich, unlike Henry, has had game experience against a fellow likely lottery pick in Baylor’s Ekpe Udoh. Udoh has quickly climbed draft boards because of his defensive presence, a trait he and Aldrich share.
A number of teams are looking at both Udoh and Aldrich as potential draft picks, and the pair has worked out against each other “four or five” times heading into tomorrow’s draft, according to Udoh. Udoh, who admitted bias as a friend of Aldrich’s, projected success for the former Kansas center.
“He’s a big time center,” Udoh said. “He just plays hard, puts it out there. He’s going to have some success once he finds a team, gets adjusted.”
Henry said that after the last two months of waiting, he’s just ready for tomorrow.
“I just want to get called by the team, go do my thing and just be on the team, work hard and get where I’m supposed to be,” Henry said. “I know wherever I get picked, that’s where I’m supposed to be.”