The Kansas Jayhawks’ summer trip to Italy: 5 takeaways
By Chris Stone
3. Udoka Azubuike will give Kansas a unique presence inside
If there’s one thing to point to that has held back head coach Bill Self back from embracing the 3-pointer with more regularity, it is his affinity for pounding the ball inside in search of easy buckets. Well, Self may get the best of both worlds this season with a balanced attack that features plenty of snipers from outside and sophomore Udoka Azubuike on the inside.
The 7-footer should give the Jayhawks a different look on the interior compared to the last several seasons in Lawrence when Landen Lucas received most of the team’s post touches. Azubuike is still a raw talent, but his imposing physical presence was on display early and often in Italy. In the first game the team played, Azubuike delivered dunk after dunk until he dislodged the basket and was seemingly told to tone it down.
The big man played just 31 minutes over two games on the trip — he missed the final two games because he wasn’t feeling well — but he flashed plenty of potential. Azubuike scored 28 points in those 31 minutes and shot 13-of-16 (81.3 percent) from the field with most of his points coming off of dunks on dump off passes from driving guards.
It wasn’t all sunshine and roses as Azubuike grabbed just seven rebounds, but given that he averaged 13.5 boards per 40 minutes as a freshman, that shouldn’t be a long-term concern. The important takeaway from the trip is that Azubuike will give the Jayhawks an interior presence that opposing teams will have to account for, which will open up the game even more for their talented collection of guards.