Jordan Juenemann Joins Kansas Men's Basketball Team

Oct. 29, 2008

LAWRENCE, Kan. – Kansas head basketball coach Bill Self has announced that Jordan Juenemann has joined the men’s basketball team as a walk-on.

Juenemann (pronounced JUNE-uh-man) was one of 17 who participated in walk-on tryouts on Sunday, October 26. The 6-4, 195, freshman guard from Hays, Kan., continued his tryout by working out with the KU team Monday and was formally invited to play from there.

“It’s a blessing, a dream come true,” Juenemann said. “If someone told me a year ago I’d go to the University of Kansas and play basketball, I’d have told them they were crazy.”

Juenemann becomes the second player in the Bill Self era to earn a roster spot from the walk-on tryout. Brad Witherspoon lettered at KU each of the last two seasons, including the Jayhawks’ 2008 national championship. Juenemann will wear the same jersey number – No. 40 – as Witherspoon.

“We’re happy to have Jordan on our team,” Self said. “We had a solid group of kids that put out a lot of effort at the tryout and Jordan stood out. Like we told Brad (Witherspoon) two years ago, he will have to pay his dues on the defensive end but I am encouraged by his work ethic after the tryout and just a couple of practices.”

At Hays High School, Juenemann was a third-team all-state selection in class 5A last year, where he averaged 17.3 points, six rebounds and four assists. Coached by Rick Keltner, Hays went 14-7 Juenemann’s senior season in 2007-08.

Juenemann is no stranger to the KU team. While in high school, he attended KU basketball camps and holiday clinics and was a member of the Kansas City Premiere AAU basketball program and played the same events as current Jayhawks Travis Releford, Tyrel Reed and his college roommate Conner Teahan. He has also trained with former Jayhawks Jeff Hawkins in Hays this past summer and Wayne Simien while in Lawrence this fall.