Player Information
Full Name: Kirk James Hinrich
Major: Sport Management
Parents: Jim And Nancy Hinrich
Birthdate: January 2, 1981
Birthplace: Sioux City, Iowa
High School: Sioux City West HS
High School Coach: Jim Hinrich

Career Highs
Points: 12, Two Times
Rebounds: 6 vs. Texas (2-28-00)
Field Goals: 5 vs. Texas (2-28-00)
Field Goal Attempts: 15 vs. Texas (2-28-00)
Three-Point Field Goals: 4 vs. Oklahoma State (2-7-00)
Three-Point Field Goal Attempts: 8 vs. Oklahoma State (2-7-00)
Free Throws: 4 vs. Missouri (3-5-00)
Free Throw Attempts: 4, Three Times
Assists: 9 vs. Xavier (11-26-99)
Steals: 4 vs. Kansas State (2-12-00)
Blocked Shots: 3 vs. DePaul (3-17-00)
Minutes Played: 36 vs. Oklahoma (2-20-00)

Honors
2000 Clyde Lovellette Most Improved Player Award

2000 Cedric Hunter/Jacque Vaughn Assists Award

A Closer Look
Favorite Food: Nachos
In The Movie Of My Life The Following Actor Would Play Me: Woody Harrelson
Favorite Activity Other Than Basketball: Baseball
My Advice To Youngsters Is: Have Fun
My Greatest Moment In Sports So Far: Winning The State Championship
The Thing That Impresses Me Most About Coach Williams Is: His Concern For Us
If I Could Live Anywhere In The World It Would Be: Hawaii
Favorite NBA Player: Gary Payton
The Person Who Has Had The Most Influence On My Athletic Career Is: My Father
My Future Goals Include: Winning A National Championship
Favorite Non-Basketball Professional Team: Washington Redskins
Favorite Movie: Braveheart, Hoosiers
Favorite Actor: Woody Harrelson, Martin Lawrence
Best Player I've Ever Faced: Keyon Dooling
Favorite Cartoon Character: Shaggy

Scouting Report: If Hinrich's jersey didn't say Kansas on the front, it would say Heart. Because that is what Hinrich brings to the game. He is Kansas' motivational leader, along with Gooden. Hinrich came to KU as the #10 point guard in the nation out of high school (Gibbons). After backing up Boschee for half of his freshman season, he cracked the starting line-up at the point and moved Boschee over to shooting guard. Since then, Kirk has not let up. He shoots lights out from the perimeter and has NBA range. He dishes out assists (7 apg), and is aggressive on the glass. If Kirk has a flaw in his game it is that he is prone to turning the ball over against quicker point guards (see Jamaal Tinsley and Frank Williams). It will be interesting to see how much time Kirk gets at the point this season with McD's POY Aaron Miles coming in. I say Kirk splits time at the point and shooting guard, while remaining KU's floor general regardless of where he plays.

A true point guard who has the ability to penetrate and looks to pass first

Excels at distributing the ball

Has also shown the ability to knock down the long range jumper

Displays surprising leaping ability and a knack for getting to the basket in traffic

His on-the-ball defense improved throughout his freshman year, and was a key to the Jayhawks' success in their stretch run

His quickness on the defensive end is an asset to KU's man-to-man defense and is pivotal in Kansas' attempts at full-court, trapping situations

A good free throw shooter

Participated in the prestigious Nike Hoop Summit in Tampa, Fla., after his senior year

Played for his father, Jim, in high school.

Freshman Season (1999-00)
Saw action in all 34 games, starting the final 13 at point guard... Averaged 5.5 points and 2.4 rebounds per game... Paced the team with 123 assists -- the fourth-most assists ever by a Kansas freshman... Finished fourth on the team in steals with 35 -- the seventh most by a KU freshman... At just 6-3 1/2, Hinrich blocked 17 shots on the year... Shot 43 percent from the field and 74 percent from the line... Canned 25 treys -- good for third on the team... Earned two team awards at KU's annual season-end banquet -- the Clyde Lovellette Most Improved Player Award, and the Cedric Hunter/Jacque Vaughn Assists Award... Came off the bench for his career debut against Fairfield, scoring eight points on 4-of-6 shooting to go with one rebound, five assists and one block... Recorded a career-high nine assists in the Jayhawks' win over Xavier on Nov. 26 in the Great Alaska Shootout... Scored a career-high 12 points -- on a career-high four three-pointers -- to go with three boards, five assists and one steal in a loss at Oklahoma State on Feb. 7... Recorded a career-high four steals along with eight points and four assists at Kansas State... Poured in 10 points and dropped six dimes in a win at Nebraska... Scored 11 points, dished out two assists and grabbed a career-high six rebounds at Texas on Feb. 28... Made a career-high four free throws en route to 11 points, six assists and three rebounds in a Senior Day win over Missouri in Allen Fieldhouse... Ended his season on a strong note, tying a career-high with 12 points while also tallying six assists and playing solid defense on Duke point guard Jason Williams in a narrow NCAA Tournament second-round loss to the Blue Devils... Scored in double-figures five times, led the 'Hawks in scoring three times and paced Kansas in assists 16 times... Averaged 21.4 minutes per game.

High School
Sioux City West High School, 1999... Averaged 23.2 points and 4.3 steals per game as a senior... Led the Wolverines to the state 4A championship... Scored 25 points in the championship game... Broke the school single-season scoring record, previously held by current Iowa Hawkeye Kyle Galloway, with 579 points... Set school career records with 1,274 points, 456 assists and 240 steals... Named honorable mention All-America by Parade and USA Today... Earned numerous individual honors including Co-Iowa Mr. Basketball, all-metro, all-northwest Iowa and all-state tournament... Scored 34 points in an Iowa high school all-star game... Played in the Nike Hoop Summit in late March, where he teamed with Nick Collison... Scored seven points, going 3-of-3 from the field and dished out two assists at the Hoop Summit, helping the USA beat an international team, 107-95... Participated in the DaDa Classic, where he roomed with Drew Gooden, and in the Kentucky Derby All-Star Game... Averaged 17.9 points and shot 56.1 percent from the field as a junior... A two-time all-state selection... Graduated with honors.

Summer, 1998
Participated in the 1998 World Youth Games in Moscow, Russia... Helped lead the USA to a 6-0 record and gold medal against international competition including Russia, Greece, Belgium and Croatia... Teamed with Stanford's Casey Jacobsen and Iowa's Glenn Worley... Averaged 11.0 points and 3.2 rebounds per game... Scored 25 points and dished out five assists versus Greece in the semifinals.

Personal
From the time he was in third grade all the way through high school, Kirk was coached by his father, Jim... Jim played college ball at Briar Cliff College... Hinrich's Cedar Falls-based AAU team, which included Nick Collison, was sponsored by John Martin... Considering a career in coaching or business management following college.