LAWRENCE
The symbol of freedom was a 6-foot-9 college freshman, flying through the air on a fast break, cocking his left arm behind his head, throwing down a vicious one-handed dunk in a building full noise. On the other side of the floor, as Cheick Diallo sprinted back on defense, Kansas coach Bill Self doubled over in his chair and began to laugh. Assistant coach Norm Roberts was laughing, too. The Kansas bench was on its feet. Allen Fieldhouse was soaring.
This was Tuesday night, the first college basketball game of Diallo’s career, the payoff after a prolonged NCAA investigation and a five-game suspension that lasted the entire month of November.