The University of Kansas basketball program is one of the most storied in college sports. Dr. James Naismith, the first coach for the Jayhawks, invented the game. Five of the program's eight coaches are in the Basketball Hall of Fame, and legendary players, including Wilt Chamberlain, Clyde Lovellette, Danny Manning, and Paul Pierce, have donned the crimson and blue.

Overland Park-based author Chelan David discusses his new book, Stories from the Phog: Forty Years of Kansas Basketball, and some of the greatest moments of KU basketball, capturing the magic of Allen Fieldhouse and the rich tradition of the Jayhawks.

David explains the origin of the “Beware of ‘The Phog’” banner and how the original rules of basketball made their way to Lawrence, Kansas. He shares highlights from his own conversations with KU legends such as Bill Self, Larry Brown, Roy Williams, as well as descendants of Naismith and Forrest “Phog” Allen, KU’s first heralded basketball recruit.

David grew up in Lawrence and graduated from the University of Kansas with a bachelor's degree in journalism. In 2023, he published Beautiful States of Mind, a book about traveling to all 50 states with his two daughters. David’s work has appeared in numerous outlets, including Writer's Digest, The Seattle Times, Spin, Smart Business, and Entrepreneur. This is his second appearance at the Library.