Ted Owens, 93, to join Larry Brown, Roy Williams at Kansas Jayhawks reunion game

Ted Owens, who at 93-years-old is the elder statesman of Kansas’ four living head men’s basketball coaches, is planning on making the drive from his home in Tulsa, Oklahoma, to Lawrence on Friday for Saturday’s KU-Iowa State game and festivities surrounding the program’s 125 Years of KU Basketball reunion weekend.

“I know we’ll have a good turnout. This will be really special,” Owens said on Thursday in a phone conversation with The Star. He will be one of about 200 former KU coaches, players and staff members to be introduced at the game (3 p.m., Saturday, Allen Fieldhouse) and attend a dinner Saturday night.

“It’ll be a great time, a happy time. I understand Roy and Larry will be there also with their people and hopefully some of coach Harp’s,” Owens added of former KU coach Dick Harp, who died in 2000. “Most of Dr. Allen’s (players) are gone but not forgotten,” Owens added of Phog Allen, who died in 1974.

Yes, Larry Brown, 82, who coached at KU from 1983-88, is slated to be in town for reunion weekend as well as Roy Williams, 72, who coached the Jayhawks from 1988-2003.

Bill Self, 60, is in his 20th season as Jayhawk coach and will be busy directing the current team in the Big 12 showdown between the No. 2 Jayhawks (15-1, 4-0) and No. 14 Cyclones (13-2, 4-0).

Owens — he was an assistant at KU four years before leading the program 19 seasons (1964-83) — has remained close with a vast majority of his players through the years.

“After all the wins and losses and ups and downs and all of that, the most important thing of all is the relationship you have with your guys,” Owens said. “Aside from my own family, they are the most important people in the world to me. We’ve got doctors, attorneys, ministers, most importantly just good people. To get together and visit about old times, we don’t have that opportunity very often. Unfortunately we’ve lost so many of those teammates,” Owens added.

Of course it is quite remarkable that blueblood program KU, the winningest program of all time, has had just eight head coaches in its history.

“I am so honored to be one of those eight people (who have led KU’s program). What a privilege, an honor it has been to be part of the lives of the young men I had the opportunity to coach,” Owens said Thursday. “It’s our responsibility as coaches to help guide them toward productive and successful lives. Hopefully we said or did something to help them along the way,” he added.

Owens, like current KU coach Self, is a native Oklahoman. The two are good friends. Owens has played golf with Self on many occasions, both in the U.S. and overseas.

Owens follows the Jayhawks closely. He’s made it back to Lawrence for many games through the years.

“I’ve been very impressed,” Owens said of the 2022-23 Jayhawks. “And as you know, Bill’s teams get better as the season goes along. It’s been interesting. Last year who would have thought after Kentucky dominated us in Allen Fieldhouse (80-62 on Jan. 29) … I don’t know if anybody would have said that team was going to win the national championship, which of course we did.”

Owens watches all the KU games on TV live unless he’s in the stands watching his son Teddy Owens’ team, play. Teddy Owens is coach of Holland Hall High School in Tulsa. The team is undefeated and ranked No. 4 in the state of Oklahoma.

“They have had some unbelievable games,” Owens said of the Jayhawks. “There are no lay-down games in the league. Bill has done a great job. For years they had powerful inside play. They’ve (now) been effective playing small ball. He has a great ability to adapt. It’s really enjoyable to watch the games,” Owens added.

Chenowith eager to see teammates from Roy’s era

Former KU center Eric Chenowith will make the trip from California to KU for Saturday’s game and dinner. The players also can attend practice if they wish, Friday, and attend a gathering Friday night.

“I think it’s great. We’re the only program that can do this like we do it,” Chenowith said of the honoring of past players, coaches and staff members every five years as is KU’s tradition.

“We’re the winningest program of all time, have the deepest, longest tradition. We have the best fans, best arena, best coach. I love coming back. Absolutely it’s the best,” Chenowith added.

Being a 7-footer, he was asked about KJ Adams being the Jayhawks’ tallest starter at 6-foot-8.

“Other than Embiid (Joel) and (Nikola) Jokic, the center position is going away,” Chenowith said. “The position Is not even on the (NBA) All-Star ballot any more. It’s the way the game is going. KJ Adams is doing a great job, undersized but so athletic. Big guys hate playing against undersized guys. We hate going against little guys. It’s awkward. The center of gravity is lower,” added Chenowith, 43, who played for Roy Williams at KU from 1998-2001. “Adams is very effective. He does a good job of holding his own.”

Some of the returnees

Here are Jayhawks who have had their jerseys hung in the south rafters of Allen Fieldhouse slated to attend festvities this weekend: Mario Chalmers, Sherron Collins, Nick Collison, Drew Gooden, Dave Robisch, Wayne Simien, Darnell Valentine, Walt Wesley.