Kansas basketball: 5 most underrated players in Kansas Jayhawks history

OKLAHOMA CITY, OK - MARCH 20: Guard Keith Langford #5 of the Kansas Jayhawks moves the ball past Cardell Butler #15 of the Utah State Aggies during the first round of the NCAA Tournament at the Ford Center March 20, 2003, in Oklahoma City, OK. The Jayhawks defeated the Aggies 64-61. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images) /

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(Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images) /

3. Sasha Kaun, F, (2004-2008)

One thing you can count on with Kansas basketball is a history of good big men. Chamberlain is the gold standard, but the Jayhawks have also had other stars like Raef LaFrentz and Ostertag.

One big man who doesn’t always get his due is Sasha Kaun. A prized recruit out of high school, Kaun chose to play for Kansas basketball over both Duke and Michigan State.

The Jayhawks never asked Kaun to be their focal point on offense, which was just fine for Kaun. A dependable starter as a sophomore and junior, Kaun would battle down low and make things easier for his teammates by crashing the glass and diving for loose balls.

Kaun ended up shifting to a reserve role in his senior year as the Jayhawks won the national championship. A true glue guy, Kaun was able to do all the little things to help Kansas win their first title in 20 years.

Those gritty skills helped Kaun grind out a long career overseas before earning a shot in the NBA with the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2015. Kaun happened to join the Cavs at the right time, earning a championship ring as Cleveland won the NBA Finals that year.