Sports

Once-homeless Kansas sophomore inspires teammates

ST. LOUIS — Jamari Traylor isn’t ashamed of his past. The Kansas sophomore is proud of how far he has come.

As reporters peppered the Chicago product about his troubled childhood following the finest performance of his two-year collegiate career Friday afternoon, Traylor wasn’t hesitant to explain his past.

“If you don’t know, I was homeless growing up and I faced a lot of adversity,” he said flatly without a hint of embarrassment.

It was a joyous moment for the gifted 6-foot-7 Traylor, greeted with a round of cheers and pats on the back from teammates in the locker room after No. 2 Kansas’ 80-69 South Regional victory over 15th-seeded Eastern Kentucky.

The sophomore reserve had just completed a 17-point, 14-rebound tour de force that made sure Kansas — without dominant 7-foot center Joel Embiid (back) — wouldn’t be one of the many favorites to go down in the second round of the NCAA Tournament.

“He has a remarkable story,” Kansas coach Bill Self said. “That’s one great thing about this tournament — it brings out so many neat stories and Jamari certainly has one of them.”

Traylor is a favorite among teammates, as much for his selfless personality and hard work as the toughness he has shown because of where he has come from.

His father reportedly was sentenced to life in prison for drug trafficking and his mother kicked Jamari out of their Chicago home because of repeated insolent offenses, hoping it would teach him to get his life on track. He spent time in juvenile homes and for large portions of a year of his life he was homeless, staying in abandoned houses and broken-down cars.

He didn’t start playing organized basketball until his senior year of high school, before emerging during a post-grad year at IMG Academies in Florida and landing a scholarship to one of the top basketball programs in the country.

Self said Kansas was recruiting another player at IMG, UConn forward DeAndre Daniels, when Traylor’s high motor and pogo-stick like leaping ability stood out. He first year, he didn’t play in any games, as a partial-qualifier. His role slowly has expanded to where he has become an asset off the bench as a red-shirt sophomore.

His teammates know his story. Self has shared it with them at times he feels are necessary, to show what true adversity is about.

“He’s a tough kid, you can see it,” sophomore forward Perry Ellis said. “He brings so much energy to the team, and he inspires all of us.”

Traylor acknowledged it can get tiring, answering the same questions over and over again about his troubled former life. Then again, if it can help anyone, he’s willing to deal with the repetition.

Traylor turned his life around, he said, because of the people around him, like his mother, Tracy Golson, and high school coach Loren Jackson, who never gave up hope — and his ability to stay positive when negativity surrounded him.

“I got a good family and a group of people behind me telling me I can do things,” he said. “That’s pretty much all you need as a young kid.”

Sunday should be a special day for Traylor. Golson and several members of his family will be in attendance, and Kansas will need him again against No. 10 Stanford, with Embiid still out.

Traylor said it feels like a lifetime ago he was dealing with personal demons, not sure where his next meal would come from, wearing the same clothes a week at a time.

“That’s over with,” he said, cracking a smile. “I’m just enjoying where I am now. It’s a good feeling to turn everything around.

“I’m fortunate to be where I am every time I wake up. … I’m blessed.”