Amidst the bright green walls and fresh smells, former Kansas basketball player Jeff Hawkins addressed a small crowd at his basketball camp. Everyone couldn’t stop smiling.

The wait is finally over.

Hawkins and a pair of current Kansas Jayhawks coached a group of 60 kids Thursday morning to officially open the Salina Fieldhouse. It was one of two sessions during the one-day camp.

The former point guard redshirted in his first year back in 2001-2002. During his senior year, he played in 32 games while starting 12 for the Hawks. He averaged 5.4 points while recording 77 assists. Hawkins helped the Jayhawks claim the first Big 12 regular-season championship that started the streak of 13-straight.

This year marked the first time he held his camp in Salina. He gave high praise for the facility, chatted about Frank Mason, and talked about the greatest opposing player he ever faced at KU.

A couple of current Jayhawks joined Hawkins in Salina. K.J. and Dedric Lawson transferred to KU from Memphis. The brothers have to redshirt for the 2017-18 season, but they continue to practice with the team while preparing for a trip to Italy in early August.

Dedric altered his diet, mainly because of his younger brother. They both shared their diets, discussed the challenges of sitting out a year, and mentioned what they are competitive in outside of hoops.