Udoka Azubuike returning to Kansas for junior year

Big man Udoka Uzubuike was an integral part to the Kansas Jayhawks’ Final Four run last season, and he’ll be returning for at least one more shot at a title.

The Kansas Jayhawks looking at some big roster changes going into next season. Devonte’ Graham, Svi Mykhailiuk and Malik Newman are all gone. They’ve also spent the entire offseason wondering if Udoka Azubuike will return for his junior year.

Azubuike participated in the NBA Draft combine and all other workouts this summer to gauge his draft stock. After the season he had at Kansas his stock might have been pretty high even though the traditional big man isn’t used as much in the NBA.

It seems his stock might not have been as high as he wanted because he has decided to return to Kansas for his junior year.

Kansas was shorthanded to say the least last season, but still managed to make the Final Four thanks in part to Azubuike. He was quite possibly the best big man in the country. In fact, he led the country in field goal percentage at 77 percent.

The Jayhawks are already bringing in a top-five recruiting class next year, and their transfers Dedric Lawson, K.J. Lawson and Charlie Moore will all be eligible. Some polls have the Jayhawks as the number one team in the country in their way-too-early rankings, and a dominant force like Azubuike returning makes a huge difference.

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Maybe it was the free throw shooting or that essentially over half his field goal attempts come from dunks that led him to come back to Kansas. Either way I’m sure Kansas fans don’t care as long as those dunks are in Allen Fieldhouse come November.

Even though Azubuike is returning for his junior year I wouldn’t expect him to do the same for his senior year.