Former Kansas Jayhawks guard Keith Langford in town for Bill Self camp

Smooth-shooting Keith Langford would not be the No. 8-leading scorer in Kansas basketball history had the NCAA transfer portal been available to players during the early 2000s.

“If I had it to do over again, I probably would have left school after my sophomore year, after that second Final Four (2002-03) just because if you are hot so to speak or a popular player, you should enter the (NBA) Draft,” the 40-year-old Langford said, who retired last spring after 17 seasons of pro basketball, mostly spent in Europe.

“At the time, based on what I felt emotionally as a player, yes I probably would have been in the portal,” Langford added in an interview with reporters on Wednesday while watching his 11-year-old son, Kaycen, compete at Bill Self’s basketball camp for youths. Langford’s wife Brittany and daughter Kaydence (6) are also in town this week.

The portal has made it convenient for college players to switch schools, considering players no longer have to sit out a season after transferring.

Langford played on a pair of Final Four teams under the direction of KU coach Roy Williams in 2001-02 and 2002-03, then continued his KU career in 2003-04 and 04-05 playing for Self.

“Now as an adult and looking back,” Langford said, “I think that would have been a mistake to do so (leave via the portal) so I’m glad the portal wasn’t there and I was able to stay and finish because this dynamic I don’t think I would have gotten anywhere else.”

Langford, a graduate of KU’s School of Journalism, used his communication skills earlier this week when 22nd-year Jayhawk coach Self, on the spur of the moment, asked Langford to speak to the Jayhawk players after a workout in KU’s practice facility adjacent to Allen Fieldhouse.

“It’s funny because coach always puts the old guys on the spot when they come back. He won’t prompt you at all to be prepared to speak. He says, ‘Hey, tell the guys something,’’’ Langford said with a smile.

“The message is always the same, to always run your own race. Some guys are going to be one-and-dones. Some are going to go to the NBA. Some are going to go to the G League. Some are going to go to Europe. It’s what role fits you best, not worrying about what the next man is doing on your team or the other team. Run your race. Do your job and let things fall into line.”

Langford, a 6-foot-4 combo guard who currently resides with his family in Austin, Texas, watched the current Jayhawks practice and came away with some opinions about the 2024-25 squad’s perimeter players.

The group includes portal transfer guards Zeke Mayo (South Dakota State), AJ Storr (Wisconsin), Rylan Griffen (Alabama), Shakeel Moore (Mississippi State) and Noah Shelby (Rice) plus returnees Dajuan Harris and Jamari McDowell.

“One thing is coach Self has options. Coach has plenty of options,” Langford, a recent inductee into the Olimpia Milano team’s Hall of Fame in Italy, said. “There’s obviously a lot of room for improvement. One thing with the portal, you can’t can’t really account for performance. It’s one thing to perform somewhere but how does that transfer? How does that incoming guy do it under the lights of KU? It’s really hard to gauge that, but one thing I do know is the guys are proven in power five conferences. I like that.”

Langford was asked what advice he’d give sophomore guard Elmarko Jackson, who is out for the season after suffering a torn patellar tendon a week ago. Langford overcame several serious injuries during his hoops career, including undergoing surgery in May of 2022 for an Achilles tendinopathy.

“I never missed an entire season. I missed a lot of time as a guy who had six knee surgeries, three while I was at KU,” Langford said. “The thing about it is patience and that is going to be as hard as anything. It’s hard to see a year (of rehab) here and having the confidence to understand at some point I will be myself. It’s trying to not force it, really listening to your body, not cheating any of the rehab. Every rep is important. Every day is important, so obviously now in 2024, 2025 there’s way more medicinal advances. He’s going to have everything at his disposal but it’s that patience and taking every day of rehab as serious as possible (is important),” Langford noted.

Langford, who is sixth in career field goals made (671) at KU and eighth in overall scoring (1,812 points), is not tempted to play in Brian Hanni’s Rock Chalk Roundball Classic KU alumni game Thursday night at Free State High School. Doors open at 5:30 p.m. with the all-star game set for a 7 p.m. tip.

“It’s funny. Dajuan (Harris) made a joke asking if I was going to play (at KU practice). I played last summer in prep for the TBT (in Wichita). That probably was my official retirement. It’s when I knew I’m not really at this level anymore. I’m done. I got together with some of the camp coaches and older guys. That’s my lane now, middle-aged ball,” Langford stated.

As far as his future, Langford currently is enjoying “being a glorified chauffeur” for his two children, “being a full-time dad which is something I haven’t been able to do through the years.

“For me, basketball is the essence of my being,” he added, noting he might put his Journalism degree to use sometime either as a broadcaster or writer.

“I’m not as good in front of the camera as Paul, also not as good a player,” he said, smiling, referring to former KU wing/Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Famer Paul Pierce who has done some work as an analyst, “but you might see me doing something at some point.”