From The Archive: Kris Jenkins Feature at the 2016 Final Four

A quick but necessary prologue to the following feature story from the 2016 Final Four: I intend to produce a much longer commentary on the lack of proper archiving in the digital media age, and all the stories and history being lost due to poor management and foresight. I believed much of my work at the ‘16 and ‘17 Final Four to be lost forever, the result of the publications for which I wrote those stories being shuttered and the content not archived. However, I was fortunate enough to dig up this story on Kris Jenkins, written the day before his historic buzzer-beater. Enjoy.

HOUSTON – Villanova’s counter to North Carolina’s collective size wears No. 2. Tar Heel guard Marcus Paige knows it.

“Kris [Jenkins] doesn’t really post up low,” Paige said of Villanova’s unconventional stretch-four. “He’s more of a mid-post to 3-pointer shooter…So it will be a challenge for Brice [Johnson] or Isaiah [Hicks] or somebody to get out and cover him.”

North Carolina’s front-court rotation features four players 6-foot-9 or taller: Johnson, Hicks, Kennedy Meeks and Joel James. Villanova typically rolls with a four-out look that has 6-foot-11 Daniel Ochefu on the low block, and the rest of the Wildcats working the perimeter.

Villanova uses its perimeter-oriented offense to spread opposing defenses, which creates attacking lanes. Paige explained how the Wildcats exploit those openings.

“They’re probably the best team we’ve seen this year in terms of using shot fakes, and getting dribble penetration to set up 3-pointers,” Paige said.

That includes Jenkins, the unlikeliest star on a Villanova squad made up of overachievers.

Villanova head coach Jay Wright admitted during Sunday’s media session he did not originally plan to recruit Jenkins out of Gonzaga Prep in Washington, D.C. Wright instead focused his pitch on Nate Britt, Jenkins’ adoptive brother and current North Carolina guard.

“We liked Kris, but we thought he’s overweight and he’s not going to want to do all the stuff we do,” Wright said.

Jenkins’ “recruitment” initially was little more than a courtesy — until Wright saw the attitude that now makes Jenkins a key player in Villanova’s national championship pursuit. The coach said he recognized Jenkins’ desire to improve, and put in the necessary work to fit Villanova’s system. That included transforming his body.

“When I first got to college, I was 280 [pounds],” Jenkins said.

Most first-year college students are warned of the “Freshman 15,” excess weight packed on from late night pizza and one-too-many red Solo cups of keg beer. Jenkins’ mission: the Freshman 40.

He shed 40 pounds through a strict regimen of stationary bike rides and daily BMI tests.

“The strength coach, John Shackleton, that’s my dad. We’re together all the time, every day,” Jenkins said. “Early workouts. Team workouts. He’s been great at teaching me how to live my life. Not only for right now, but for when I’m done playing basketball.”

Jenkins still has plenty of basketball to be played, starting with Monday’s national championship game.

His newly developed physique and his face-up playing style promise to spread North Carolina’s big bodies away from the paint. If he needs to muscle his way to the rim against smaller defenders, however, Jenkins can do that.

He weighs in today at 240 pounds, still big but built on muscle instead of fat. At 6-foot-6, Jenkins’ current look is reminiscent of low-block standouts of the past like Clarence Weatherspoon.

With his 3-point shooting range and quick step off the dribble, however, Jenkins is in a category all his own offensively.

Defensively, he’s learned to move with more lateral quickness commensurate with his weight loss.

“He’s improved a lot,” Ochefu said. “We all knew he was a great offensive player. The way he’s been committing to our scouting reports, [and] he’s taken pride in guarding guards and getting in the paint and rebounding against guys my size.”

Jenkins averages four rebounds per game on the season, but his production on the glass has jumped in the NCAA Tournament. He grabbed nine rebounds in the Wildcats’ Sweet 16 win over Miami, and eight in Saturday’s semifinal against Oklahoma.

North Carolina’s size presents Jenkins and Villanova it’s stiffest challenge yet — but the same applies to the Tar Heels on the other end.

And both sides know the importance No. 2 plays in that dynamic.