KU freshman center Ernest Udeh hopes to meet Shaq, aka DJ Diesel, at Late Night event

Ernest Udeh, who stands just under 7 feet tall and weighs 250 pounds, looks forward to possibly shaking hands with a Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame center— 7-foot-1, 325-pound Shaquille O’Neal — before, during or after Friday’s Late Night in the Phog at Allen Fieldhouse.

“I can’t wait to meet him. He’s a big guy,” Udeh said. “I can’t wait to compare how I look against him. I really respect Shaq.”

Udeh is a freshman pivot out of Dr. Phillips High School in Orlando. O’Neal will be theJayhawks’ musical guest at the 38th annual Late Night, set for a 6 p.m. start Friday in KU’s tradition-rich facility. O’Neal, 50, will perform a DJ set as “DJ Diesel.”

“I’m excited to meet Shaq. I’ve watched a lot of podcasts and different things he’s done,” said Cam Martin, KU’s 6-9, 230-pound super-senior transfer from Missouri Southern State University.

“I think he’s a great person off the basketball court. It’s been a dream of mine to meet him. He’s one of my favorite players,” Martin said.

The defending national champion Jayhawks players, of course, will be the main reason 16,300 fans figure to pack the fieldhouse Friday. The players will receive their 2022 NCAA championship rings on a night the 2022 NCAA title banner will be unveiled in the north rafters around 7:55 p.m.

“Late Night is going to be fun. We’re going to tee it up. We’ve got to put on a show for the town,” Udeh said, speaking with The Star at last Thursday’s Coaches Vs. Cancer fundraiser at Crown Automotive showroom in Lawrence.

O’Neal isn’t the only big man that Udeh has studied on film. One of KU’s past big men has also drawn Udeh’s attention.

“I like Joel for sure,” Udeh said of Joel Embiid, a nine-year NBA veteran center with the Philadelphia 76ers who played at KU for one season (2013-14).

“He’s that one person I always watched. His ability around the basket, his versatility, how he’s gotten better over the years. That’s something I really appreciate,” Udeh said. “There is tradition at KU, the history of the bigs they’ve produced and gone to the league. I feel it’s really special I’ve been given this opportunity to play at this level at this specific place, so I love it.”

Udeh, a McDonald’s All-American, averaged 13.2 points (on 65.1% shooting), 9.2 rebounds and 1.0 blocks per game last season at Dr. Phillips High. He said he’s adjusted to college life since arriving in June for the start of summer school.

“It’s going really well. I love my teammates. I love being here. The whole experience has been great so far,” Udeh said.

“It’s always competitive,” he added of practice. KU’s first official practice of the season was Sept. 26. “This is Div. I basketball. It’s everything you ask for as a kid. It’s everything you always wanted to be part of. It’s been great.”

Udeh seems to have bonded well with a freshman class that includes scholarship freshmen Gradey Dick, MJ Rice and Zuby Ejiofor, plus walk-on Wilder Evers.

“All the freshmen are great. Zuby can jump out of the gym. He blocks every shot in practice all day,” Udeh said of Ejiofor (6-9, 240) out of Garland (Texas) High School. “He’s a great guy off the court to be around.”

For the freshmen, team bonding started during the summer session in June and July. Then there was coach Bill Self’s annual Boot Camp conditioning program from Sept. 12-21.

“Boot Camp was all right. I made it through. That’s all I’ve got to say,” Udeh said with a smile.

Asked if a series of sprints at Boot Camp is more difficult on the bigs than guards, Udeh said: “Nah. If you are in shape it’s OK. If you are not in shape … there are levels of difficulty to that.”

Udeh said since arriving at KU he’s been focused, not nervous.

“It’s crazy. Most of the camps and AAU events I’ve been to in my life you always get those butterflies,” he said in June. “There’s no butterflies at all. I’m just completely happy to be here — the next step in my life, so I’m so glad.

“(I’m) getting better every day. Every time you touch the floor, make sure it’s at least 1% every day you are getting better. My approach is do whatever I can to help the team get a win. I got to this point by staying in the gym, of course, but also being coachable. I listen to what Coach has to say and play my role.”