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Kansas Jayhawks: Wayne Selden Jr Is the Key to Success

By DJoumbarey A. Moreau

Jan 8, 2014; Norman, OK, USA; Kansas Jayhawks guard Wayne Selden, Jr. (1) handles the ball against the Oklahoma Sooners during the first half at Lloyd Noble Center. Mandatory Credit: Mark D. Smith-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 8, 2014; Norman, OK, USA; Kansas Jayhawks guard Wayne Selden, Jr. (1) handles the ball against the Oklahoma Sooners during the first half at Lloyd Noble Center. Mandatory Credit: Mark D. Smith-USA TODAY Sports /
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Wayne Selden Jr. is the key for Kansas winning the 2015 NCAA Tournament. 

Picture yourself as a star shooting guard for the Kansas Jayhawks playing NBA 2K15 and dogging everyone that plays against you. You choose Kevin Durant and the Oklahoma City Thunder, and no one can defeat you. After winning ten games of 2k15 in a row and having Durant average close to 40 points a game, you gather your things, lace up your sneakers and get prepared to destroy your competition playing basketball for real.

What a wonderful life to have indeed. For star the Kansas Jayhawks shooting guard Wayne Selden Jr. soon enough he will not have the time to play NBA 2K15 because he’s going to have plenty of time dogging his competition inside of Allen Fieldhouse.

Feb 8, 2014; Lawrence, KS, USA; Kansas Jayhawks guard Wayne Selden, Jr. (1) shoots as West Virginia Mountaineers guard Eron Harris (10) defends in the first half at Allen Fieldhouse. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports
Feb 8, 2014; Lawrence, KS, USA; Kansas Jayhawks guard Wayne Selden, Jr. (1) shoots as West Virginia Mountaineers guard Eron Harris (10) defends in the first half at Allen Fieldhouse. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports /

Simply put, Selden Jr is one of the most underrated players in college basketball. Last season as a freshman, Selden was projected as a NBA Draft lottery pick, and often times looked like the best player on the court for Kansas. Scary to think someone other than Joel Emiid and Andrew Wiggins looked like the best player on the court and still managed to stay in college another year. However following his offseason knee surgery, Selden Jr. is now projected as a late first round, to early second round pick, for terrible reasons beyond measure.

Though there is room for skepticism about Selden Jr, and if he can gather his athleticism back, this season Selden Jr. can detract his critics and have his best season as a collegiate basketball player. The Kansas Jayhawks are going to go as far as Selden Jr’s 6-foot-5, 235-pound frame can take them. If he becomes the star of the Jayhawks this season, then they arguably have one of the strongest chances to win the 2015 NCAA Championship.

With that begin said, last season Selden Jr. was not the first option or even the second option on the court. Those roles belonged to his two former teammates Joel Emiiid, and Andrew Wiggins. It’s not easy being the third option within the offense because players have to choose shots carefully since the number attempts are most likely going to suffer.

Last season Selden Jr. only shot the basketball eight times a game. What was most mind-boggling to see was that Selden Jr. shot the basketball 10 times or more in seven games. In five out of seven of those games, Selden Jr. shot above 50 percent. He shoots really efficiently because nearly 70 percent of his shots are at the rim.

Nov 8, 2013; Lawrence, KS, USA; Kansas Jayhawks guard Wayne Selden, Jr. (1) dribbles the ball down the court during the first half of the game against the Louisiana Monroe Warhawks at Allen Fieldhouse. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports
Nov 8, 2013; Lawrence, KS, USA; Kansas Jayhawks guard Wayne Selden, Jr. (1) dribbles the ball down the court during the first half of the game against the Louisiana Monroe Warhawks at Allen Fieldhouse. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports /

Next season the number of games with double-digit field goal attempts is going to double at the least. If Selden Jr can keep up his efficiency, his 9.7 points per game from his freshman year is going to increase into larger numbers in his sophomore season.

In addition because of the lack of playmakers that the Jayhawks have this season, Selden Jr. is going to have to create shots for others. His physical makeup gives him the versatility in college to play four positions. In fact, Kansas Jayhawks head coach Bill Self intends to use him in those positions this year.

In an interview with Jeff Deters of the Topeka Capital Journal Kansas Head Coach Bill Self said this:

"“Last year, he was great at times, and last year he was obviously very streaky at times,” Self said. “I would love for him to become more consistent. That would be the thing. He doesn’t have to shoot 40 percent from three, but if he can get that above 35, that would do wonders to help our team.”"

Next season the Jayhawks are in a class with only a few teams in the NCAA including Duke, North Carolina and Kentucky that return starters and have top five recruiting classes. This team is very talented, super athletic and have a better chance this year to win an NCAA Championship. With Selden Jr. as the centerpiece of the offense, the Jayhawks shouldn’t have a terrible drop off from statistics they complied including 79.6 points per game, 15.1 assists, 38.1 rebounds, while shooting 49.5 percent a game. Those numbers were all at least fortieth best in the country.

Next season, Selden Jr. isn’t going to have to wait for long to get his competitive itched scratched. Fans play him now in NBA 2K15 because when March and April rolls around, fans will get to see him play against elite competition. Hopefully we’ll get to watch him play in the Final Four of the 2015 NCAA Tournament.

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