Can Kansas basketball and their star-studded roster overcome off-court issues and get back to the championship tradition after falling short last season?
Since 2004, the Kansas Jayhawks had loomed over the Big 12 like a forlorn evil father who was waiting, maybe even daring, for his forgotten and disregarded son to try and step up and face him. Kansas had won or tied for 14 straight league titles in the Big 12, only to see that come to a heartbreaking end (well, for Jayhawks fans) last season at the hands of Texas Tech and Kansas State.
Despite the recent on-court success (last year’s failure ignored), the off-court antics of the Kansas program started last year when former Adidas consultant T.J. Gassnola testified under oath in a federal courtroom he committed multiple NCAA violations (and laws) when helping Kansas secure commitments from star prospects.
The biggest defense Kansas will throw out is, contrary to what the NCAA believes in their locked-and-loaded case, that Adidas officials are not representative of the school’s athletic interest, thus they weren’t helping Kansas.
I think we all know how Self feels about the whole matter.
Aside from the NCAA court case and recent suspension troubles, Self also faces a problem — his league title streak has been broken, and he now has a chip on his shoulder.
I’m sure in his mind, Self has to start a new streak following the breaking of his old one. To be honest, armed with one of the top star-studded rosters in the country, this might be the year he not only restarts his streak but finds himself cutting down all the nets come March.
Self and the Jayhawks’ desires were easily discovered by the dedication Self showed in assembling a roster that should be a unanimous top-five roster in the country heading into the season. Self returns a talented cast of players from last year’s team alone, with the return of star big man Udoka Azubuike from an injury to his right hand that forced him to miss the vital back-half of the season.
Azubuike (13.4 points on 70.5-percent shooting, 6.8 rebounds per game in time played last year) is complemented on the perimeter by another star player in sophomore guard Devon Dotson, who averaged 12.3 points, 3.7 rebounds and 3.5 assists per game last season.
Azubuike is a threat in the paint — no, that’s not fair enough. Azubuike is a terror in the paint. In terms of talented big man, not only does he possess the much-coveted seven-foot size and large, muscular build any team desires in their man at the five, but he also has the footwork of a professionally trained Russian ballerina (well, when compared to other players his size).
That duo alone deserves to put Kansas firmly inside of the country’s upper echelon of teams, and that’s not to mention the other intriguing players the team returns. Though Azubuike sits as the team’s lone impact senior, the Jayhawks also return sophomore Ochai Agbaji, who in his freshman campaign complemented the lead duo with 8.5 points and 4.5 rebounds per game.
In addition to that fearsome threesome, the team returns talented big man Silvio De Sousa, who should allow Self and his team to go back to the two big systems of Kansas teams past. We’ll talk more about the implementation of this fearsome frontcourt in just a minute, but De Sousa’s return should compliment Azubuike greatly.
David McCormack also returns to the Jayhawks roster, the six-foot-10 sophomore big man provides excellent depth off the bench should De Sousa or Azubuike find themselves in foul (or, injury) problems. If these three players can take the next step in their game and be healthy, the trio will be one of the most physically intimidating frontcourts in the country, along with the likes of West Virginia, Gonzaga, et al.
Along with the aforementioned players, the team also returns an intriguing player in Marcus Garret, who may just find himself as the sixth man on this deep Jayhawks roster. The six-foot-five junior chipped in 7.3 points, 4.2 rebounds and 1.9 assists per game last season along with being tied for the team-lead in steals with 1.4 a game.
The stats for the top returnees for Kansas may seem a bit low, but in evaluating this Kansas team you rightfully have to consider the loss of key player Dedric Lawson and the transfer of Quentin Grimes. The stats for Kansas top players will take an enormous leap this season, especially if they gel in Bill Self’s system quickly. (Hint: they will.)
In addition to these key returnees, though young, are seasoned veterans toughened by their failure last year, Self hit the transfer market and brought in a potential starting shooting guard in six-foot-five graduate transfer Isaiah Moss from Iowa. The new addition averaged 9.2 points, 2.9 rebounds and 1.8 assists per game last season with the Hawkeyes.
Moss also will provide an efficient three-point shot when left open (which may happen more often thanks to the return of Azubuike), which is exactly what this team needs in order for Devon Dotson’s potential to really be opened up.
Self also did himself a service in terms of recruiting when he brought in top 50 freshman Jalen Wilson, who is capable of guarding opposing threes and fours when needed and provides yet another efficient shooter off of the wing for the Jayhawks.
Wilson is what one could call a “big guard” because he normally is deployed in the guard spot, but can serve to guard at the power forward spot on the court. He, along with the aforementioned Moss, provides an intriguing option if Self should decide to go small.
The big-time players who make up the Kansas front line under the basket will be key to Bill Self’s Jayhawks squad getting back to their winning ways. Self will likely, according to all indications, revert back to the fabled Kansas teams of old (okay, so maybe not that old) and deploy two large, athletic players in the frontcourt to impose physical domination on any and all opponents.
The most likely case is Azubuike and De Sousa (back fresh from injury and suspension, respectively) will start in the frontcourt and pose an intimidating threat in the Kansas frontcourt. On the starting line with them, it should be Agbaji, Moss and Dotson manning the three remaining positions. Look for Marcus Garrett and Jalen Wilson, as well as David McCormack to play some solid minutes as well.
Christian Braun provides an intriguing option as well off the bench, as the shooter extraordinaire could be just what this team needs to space the floor.
Kansas should have no trouble getting past the looming NCAA crackdown and churning out a run (more likely than not, a clinch) at the Big 12 title with Self at the helm, and this incredibly talented roster.
The Jayhawks should be considered a leading contender for the NCAA title, and if Azubuike stays healthy, and Wilson and Moss put out key contributions, they’ll push any team to the test en route to Atlanta.
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