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https://theathletic.com/1028464/2019/06/17/ochai-agbajis-unlikely-story-starts-a-new-chapter-at-kansas-as-a-go-to-player/ ↗

:eyes:

For those w/o a sub I think the main take-away is that Bill views Ochai as our 2nd best perimeter player, right there just behind Dotson.

@BShark I was shocked how good he looked in that scrimmage. He looked so much quicker and stronger than last year.

BShark said:

For those w/o a sub I think the main take-away is that Bill views Ochai as our 2nd best perimeter player, right there just behind Dotson.

That's great to hear.

Just got to hope that leg keeps healthy with the workload he's going to take on this season. The way his season ended was not what we saw when he burned the red-shirt and gave the team a huge boost. We have a lot of players that are benefitting from another year in the system but he may be the one that benefits the most given the situation he came into

The team is going to be off the chain athletically. The difference from last year will be profound.

@KUSTEVE Replacing Q and Dedric with a broom and a bag of rocks would be an improvement athletically to be fair.

@BShark I'm trying to think of a front court that would compare...maybe the Morii with TROB off the bench...maybe Withey and TROB...maybe Shady and crew, but I think for raw muscular bulk, you'd have to put a Dok, Silvio, and Dave right up there with any of them. The Morii and TROB could score, same with Shady and company... but there isn't any of them that could dunk like Doke. And I have an idea that Silvio is going to make his mark as a ferocious rebounder, and Dave is just going to get better and better.

Then add in the athleticism in the backcourt with Ochai and Dotson, and you basically have 3 other guys that can be used with Marcus, JW, and Moss. The only one of those I would say isn't as athletic would be Moss, but he has an important skillset we need, and the defensive chops not to hurt us when he's in the lineup. Experience. Great defense. Offensive firepower. Deep as the ocean. Athletic.This team might have the best chance since 2008...a true legitimate chance to be national champions this year.

@BShark Thanks for the posting.

It's nice to hear Self's view on Agbaji. Most here know my opinion of the kid. He's got the make-up and skills of a very high level player. A good comp is Brandon Rush, but I also think Agbaji has more intensity than Rush, and is more agile and guard-like. Excited to see him progress. Agbaji has got "it", and Self notices -- a good combo.

I just hope he comes back with a big heaping of self-confidence. I think he lost his edge last year and perhaps that might have been a confidence issue.

He should be confident... he is a major cog at KU!

@BShark Why would you insult the athleticism of brooms and rocks like that!!

The word around the program is he's the most improved guy on the roster. He's healthy finally and things are really starting to click above the neck. It's also the first time he's had really great, consistent coaching since he didn't go to a hoops factory and was a role player in AAU ball. I'm not saying he's Jo because he was a freak show among freak shows, but they both have a ridiculous growth curve.

FarmerJayhawk said:

The word around the program is he's the most improved guy on the roster. He's healthy finally and things are really starting to click above the neck. It's also the first time he's had really great, consistent coaching since he didn't go to a hoops factory and was a role player in AAU ball. I'm not saying he's Jo because he was a freak show among freak shows, but they both have a ridiculous growth curve.

Great stuff to hear. If healthy I expect his improvement to carry over into games

@BeddieKU23 same. We know he's got the ability. Just has to translate to the court.

Sorry if this was already posted.

@KirkIsMyHinrich Hadn't seen that. Thanks!

Oh my, Bill is gushing about Dave.

@BShark He was a puppy last season but you could see the talent and upside. He's going to be a good player next season and a very good player as a junior.

@BShark [

@KUSTEVE This kid...he's a keeper.

@BShark He's just beginning to come into his own. By next year, he'll be a dominant force.

In order to be called sped up you gotta first be fast. Daves going to punish teams on both ends once he figures it all out. Quick and huge, motivated and smart.

Man Coach didn't hesitate 1 second when ask about who the most improved player from last year was did he? -- BAM David McCormack hands down without a doubt - sounds promising to me. - the kid is built like a brick house anyways - -HE GONNA GET NASTY - -rock chalk all day long abby

Agbaji is going to tear it up this year. This team can be a juggernaut defensively, and mix and match offensively.

Marco said:

Agbaji is going to tear it up this year. This team can be a juggernaut defensively, and mix and match defensively.

This is one thing we are in agreement on now.

I've seen the light @HighEliteMajor

With Self saying Dave is the "best big man shooter" does that mean he starts over Silvio at the 4 and we get the traditional high low with serious size? This team gives Self lineups to use his old high low system and also the 4 out stuff he has used the past few years. Should be fun to watch.

BigBad said:

With Self saying Dave is the "best big man shooter" does that mean he starts over Silvio at the 4 and we get the traditional high low with serious size? This team gives Self lineups to use his old high low system and also the 4 out stuff he has used the past few years. Should be fun to watch.

I think Silvio is starting, at least at the beginning of the year. Self and Silvio I think feel as if they owe one to the other. Silvio could have easily went pro (and before anyone asks, not the NBA) after this year, the way I understand it he had good offers but he wanted to come back and play for KU and Bill.

Regardless of who starts, Dave is going to get some minutes. It's a great three headed monster that I think gets about 70 of the post minutes.

The defense should be decent this year. I think expecting them to be elite or one of the best in the country is a lot of Kool-Aid drinking. Self's defenses haven't been elite in years, especially with the rule changes. Yes we should rebound well, protect the rim, we have a defensive perimeter stopper in Garrett and a ballhawk PG in Dotson. Ochai showed promise defensively from the wing as well. However I think the scheme we run on defense has been average at best. Does anyone really think the scheme will ever change? Maybe it does. I'm in wait and see mode here

To follow up I think this team has good individual pieces on defense but watching how good Tech & Virginia were on defense last season was about the sum of the parts and the scheme. If you don't have all guys engaged defensively and the scheme be good enough this defense probably will be a slightly better version then the previous few seasons

@BeddieKU23 Hoping Self has realized this after being smoked in the tournament two straight years...

Looking at Kenpom here's the avg defensive ranking for KU since 2005 broken up in 3 year clusters.

2005-2007- AVG ranking 7

2008-2010- AVG Ranking 6.6

2011-2013 - AVG ranking 4.6

2014-2016- AVG ranking 11.3

2017-2019- AVG ranking 29.3

Trending down defensively since 2014 for various reasons. The ceiling is there for this to be a very good defensive team. Based on the numbers I think a return to the top 10 is possible.

Yeah, just didn't have the bodies plus playing small w/o the pieces to defend small in 17 and 18. Last year was encouraging in that KU got back into the top 20 despite having two well below average athletes starting and playing big minutes.

BShark said:

@BeddieKU23 Hoping Self has realized this after being smoked in the tournament two straight years...

It should be at the top of the list. The worst defensive team in the Self era made the final 4 two seasons ago. But your right they got smoked in the Final 4. Last season we knew the defense wasn't great after Doke, Vick and Silvio all ended the season not playing.

I'm excited to see this group on defense but I'm not buying an elite defense t-shirt just yet. They certainly have the pieces to be very good.

@BeddieKU23 and if they don't, somebody's on the bench that would love to try!

@BShark

Yeah its amazing they were in the Top 20 considering the roster.

On Dave's improvement. The numbers clearly showed last season that the more minutes he played the better he was. He wasn't a spark plug, instant impact guy off the bench. If he's made the leap from his freshman year its a very encouraging sign because then Self can depend on him to come on regular rotations and foul trouble and be an anchor in the post. I was worried he would improve but not have enough minutes consistently to impact the game. If Self isn't just pumping Dave up at this point I expect there to be minimal drop off when his number is called.

BShark said:

Marco said:

Agbaji is going to tear it up this year. This team can be a juggernaut defensively, and mix and match defensively.

This is one thing we are in agreement on now.

I've seen the light @HighEliteMajor

Well, this is definitely a "big tent" item ... all are invited.

Doesn't this team cry out, louder than any recent predecessor, to play conventional? To feed the post? 3/2?

And as mentioned above, defense, defense, defense. Great summary on the KenPom rankings - @BShark. Really enlightening.

I like the 4/1, but when it comes down to it, I still believe nothing beats the 3/2 high/low. But you have to have the regular and constant use of the kick out three. Inside out. And make that a primary weapon.

HighEliteMajor said:

BShark said:

Marco said:

Agbaji is going to tear it up this year. This team can be a juggernaut defensively, and mix and match defensively.

This is one thing we are in agreement on now.

I've seen the light @HighEliteMajor

Well, this is definitely a "big tent" item ... all are invited.

Woh woh woh! Tmi

Sorry, I thought it was funny. Carry on

HighEliteMajor said:

Doesn't this team cry out, louder than any recent predecessor, to play conventional? To feed the post? 3/2?

And as mentioned above, defense, defense, defense. Great summary on the KenPom rankings - @BShark. Really enlightening.

I like the 4/1, but when it comes down to it, I still believe nothing beats the 3/2 high/low. But you have to have the regular and constant use of the kick out three. Inside out. And make that a primary weapon.

That was @BeddieKU23 on the kenpom averages.

This is why Moss is such a great fit. If this team is going to bang and bash he is a perfect fit as the old spot up 3 guy in Self's offense. I think it will be the majority, with most likely Wilson being the back-up 4 which gives a lot of flexibility. Mitch will be the back-up 4 if he doesn't RS but I believe that is happening from what I've heard.

@HighEliteMajor The last two years, it's abundantly clear we've had a defensive problem. We lost to Tech by 30. We got blown out by Nova. We got humiliated by Auburn. If the 3/2 helps us defensively, then I'm all for it...100%.

I think Big Mac will get plenty of PT this year. Doke can't go 40 mpg, or even close. And no reason to run Silvio ragged either. And then there is foul trouble. I can see Dave pulling 25 mpg, perhaps when you figure in factors like foul trouble, maybe pushing a little higher. We need a 3-big solid rotation to run constant 2 bigs.

With the improvement of Dave what I see it taking away from is the smaller lineup.

Nothing is set in stone, and if we run a 2-big lineup and it doesn't produce well, you can expect to see a smaller lineup again. Anything to push success. I see Dave's uptick challenging minutes from guys like Jalen, Marcus and others who could get some minutes at the 4 in a small lineup.

Notice I didn't even mention Mitch. I wonder why...

@drgnslayr I just visualized a scorers table with subs checking in that inspire me. oooooo... November comes after June right?

@drgnslayr Jalen is 6'8''. The sooner he realizes he is a 4 the better imo.

@drgnslayr KU will have 7 players at or near 25+ minutes per game next season.

The question with Dave's minutes and his ability to play alongside Doke will be if he has the range to be the high in the high-low. If not and his range is still primarily inside of 10', that limits Dave's minutes to strictly backing up Doke instead of some minutes next to him.

@Texas-Hawk-10 Supposedly he's the best shooting big on the team, better than Silvio.

@BShark I suppose the other question with Dave at the 4 is does he have the quickness and agility to guard 4's out on the perimeter?

@Texas-Hawk-10 It's definitely another issue. I like what I was starting to see last year with him working on screens and being able to recover. He also looks like he has slimmed down pretty well.

Texas Hawk 10 said:

@BShark I suppose the other question with Dave at the 4 is does he have the quickness and agility to guard 4's out on the perimeter?

Maybe that's a risk worth taking now that the 3 point line has been moved back. Unless the 4 is a known 3 point shooter with accuracy guys with stretch ability might not be as accurate now.

KUSTEVE said:

@HighEliteMajor The last two years, it's abundantly clear we've had a defensive problem. We lost to Tech by 30. We got blown out by Nova. We got humiliated by Auburn. If the 3/2 helps us defensively, then I'm all for it...100%.

Coach use to pride himself with the bust as Defense -- what happened? - like you say these last years have been bad -- -really bad. - -I don't know how many countless times last year I watch opposing players have WIDE - - -WIDE open 3's - -hell they had time to pack a lunch throw the picnic cover down spread it out eat it and - STILL have time for the wide open 3 - -time and time again - -and if they weren't wide open then All I saw was some one give like a half hearted jog out kind of throw an hand up and like Olay defense or allie - -allie all in free type approach - use to be if you didn't play bust ass defense for Coach - you didn't play - - ROCK CHALK ALL DAY LONG BABY

I don't think Dave plays hardly any 4. No way he can guard most 4's, let alone switch onto guards. Silvio can switch onto a lot of guards and has some skill, so he'll play A LOT.

Texas Hawk 10 said:

@BShark I suppose the other question with Dave at the 4 is does he have the quickness and agility to guard 4's out on the perimeter?

Just interested me some to hear and got me hyped to a degree - -When the media asked Coach Self who the most improved player was from last year he said almost quicker then they could get the question out of their mouth - - - Coach said David McCormack hands down without a doubt - - -just thought WOW/Dam - I mean he didn't even pause - -hesitate. - now I'm not sure like you I wonder about his foot work - -speed being good enough quick enough to try and defend the 4 - -all I know is looking forward to seeing the big guy work.

Now I know you'll more likely then not if ever - -BUT let's just play this scenario - -How awesome would it be if even for just a few minutes could you imagine - what if we saw Doke - - -McCormack - - & Silvio on the frontline at the same time for a couple of minutes? - -I mean - -JUMPIN - - -GEE - - HOSSA - - FATS - -could there be any more imposing front line in College Basketball then those beasts lol - -just messin around and wondering - -ROCK CHALK ALL DAY LONG BABY

@Texas-Hawk-10

Don't hold me to this... but I think Dave has "lightened the load" on his frame. He's moving much better!

@FarmerJayhawk It's not really about Dave starting over Silvio because that's not likely to happen. It's more about whether or not Dave could back up Silvio. If Mitch redshirts, a back up 4 is the one potential weakness on this roster. Jalen Wilson's athleticism is a big issue because he's in the Brannen Greene, Quinton Grimes range of athleticism.

@Texas-Hawk-10 I've seen it discussed so it was worth bringing up. Honestly I wouldn't want Mitch defending most 4's either. He's really springy but not great laterally. If Wilson fails to launch I could see Garrett playing some 4 if the matchup makes sense.

@FarmerJayhawk I want everyone's opinion on this, do you think (it seems some have more or less said as much) that he's just a spot up shooter?

He's been in Lawrence for like 10 minutes. He didn't play well yesterday but it's June 19th and it's a scrimmage so ¯_(ツ)_/¯

Texas Hawk 10 said:

@FarmerJayhawk It's not really about Dave starting over Silvio because that's not likely to happen. It's more about whether or not Dave could back up Silvio. If Mitch redshirts, a back up 4 is the one potential weakness on this roster. Jalen Wilson's athleticism is a big issue because he's in the Brannen Greene, Quinton Grimes range of athleticism.

Yeah I'm already wondering how taking on Jalen was a good idea. This kid better have steel nerves and dedication. More Perry, less Q and Green.

Marco said:

@FarmerJayhawk I want everyone's opinion on this, do you think (it seems some have more or less said as much) that he's just a spot up shooter?

Not at all. He’s actually pretty skilled for a guy his size.

@approxinfinity Wilson has some skills, but it will take time to develop those skills. All 4 freshmen are minimum 3 year players, likely 4 year guys. The one with the best chance to develop and leave early is Tristan Enaruna. I would say Enaruna is the 3rd best NBA prospect on this roster right now behind Ochai and Silvio and just ahear of McCormack.

If Enaruna can become a true wing at his size, he then becomes a potential lottery pick in 2022 or 2023. The ideal line up for KU in 2021-22 is McBride at point, Enaruna and Wilson as interchangeable pieces at the 3 and 4 spots, Braun as the 6th man, and 2020 recruits at the combo and post spots.

I like Braun and think we'll have fond memories him when he's done at KU, I just don't see a high ceiling with him and if Braun's starting by then, I think that means Self had some big whiffs in both the 2020 and 2021 classes at the combo guard spot. If Braun starts then because someone developed ahead of schedule, I can live with that.

Nice article on Wilson: https://www.kansas.com/sports/college/big-12/university-of-kansas/article231695353.html? ↗
From the article:
Self, when talking earlier this week, did nothing to lower expectations for Wilson — one of the top-rated recruits in the Jayhawks’ 2019 class along with Tristan Enaruna.

“He gives us size, he gives us toughness and he gives us skill,” Self said. “He’s not going to wow you like some people may think, like Josh (Jackson) could, from an athletic standpoint and quick-twitch standpoint, but he just knows how to play. He’s a winner.”

approxinfinity said:

Texas Hawk 10 said:

@FarmerJayhawk It's not really about Dave starting over Silvio because that's not likely to happen. It's more about whether or not Dave could back up Silvio. If Mitch redshirts, a back up 4 is the one potential weakness on this roster. Jalen Wilson's athleticism is a big issue because he's in the Brannen Greene, Quinton Grimes range of athleticism.

Yeah I'm already wondering how taking on Jalen was a good idea. This kid better have steel nerves and dedication. More Perry, less Q and Green.

Why would it not be a good idea? Best case scenario, he can play between 10 and 20 minutes a game, play decent D and make some threes. At worst, he's a backup when someone gets in foul trouble who you can put it to steal a few minutes. Sounds like a win-win to me.

I'm excited to have Jalen. I see him as a different form of Dedric. Remember how he was billed as being non-athletic? Dedric sure knew how to fill a stat sheet, and let's face it, it's the stat sheet that really determines the final score. I will always take these kinds of "non-athletes" over the high-flying guys that can't fill a stat sheet.

From what I have heard about Jalen... he stays active and he embraces contact. He always finds himself around the ball. We haven't had many players like that... so I'm psyched to have Jalen on this team. I'm worried about his freshman year.. adapting to D1... but I've been convinced recently that he'll find ways to contribute, even in his freshman year.

I think we've all been spoiled with a specific "standard" KU player; long, athletic, etc. We need to focus on who will contribute instead.

@drgnslayr Good point. It's nice to go after players that are perceived as having the most upside and talent, but at the end of the day, you need players who play smart and disciplined and make winning plays. I don't think many would consider Villanova's championship teams in 2016 and 2018 as being elite athletically, but were some of the smartest and well-disciplined teams I've seen in the last ten to fifteen years.

HawkChamp said:

approxinfinity said:

Texas Hawk 10 said:

@FarmerJayhawk It's not really about Dave starting over Silvio because that's not likely to happen. It's more about whether or not Dave could back up Silvio. If Mitch redshirts, a back up 4 is the one potential weakness on this roster. Jalen Wilson's athleticism is a big issue because he's in the Brannen Greene, Quinton Grimes range of athleticism.

Yeah I'm already wondering how taking on Jalen was a good idea. This kid better have steel nerves and dedication. More Perry, less Q and Green.

Why would it not be a good idea? Best case scenario, he can play between 10 and 20 minutes a game, play decent D and make some threes. At worst, he's a backup when someone gets in foul trouble who you can put it to steal a few minutes. Sounds like a win-win to me.

I like taking him because Self should try to field the best team he can. I do however see Texas Hawk's concern as these kind of players have mostly not worked out under Bill.

@drgnslayr We needed Dedric last year, but I think everyone was ready to move on by the end. A big part of the defense suffering was Q and Dedric. Dedric produced, but then gave it back on the other end. I can understand why Self favors athletic guys that can defend.

@BShark

I understand your concern. But don't forget how many rebounds Dedric snagged, too.

Jalen is a different kind of "non-athlete." He's a tough guy who likes contact. I don't think any of us would use that description for Dedric. Dedric just knew how to score and to some degree, rebound.

Expect Jalen to be on the receiving end of black eyes, scrapes, etc.

I'm just nervous. The chemistry on the team seemed so perfect, so I see Jalen as the most likely risk to that chemistry. Having a less athletic guy who is a top 50 recruit and best friends with a top 10 guy, if he rides pine could be an unhappy camper. I don't want that on the bench. Hope Im unnecessarily worried.

@approxinfinity If that's the case, he's outnumbered.

@BShark exactly about Dedric.

@drgnslayr if Wilson consistently plays good d then i won't question his attitude, and I'll be happy to be wrong. But that requires a combination of lateral quickness and commitment. Hard to believe he can play perimeter d well but not jump. Don't you need quick twitch to stay with a man too? We will see if he has it.

@approxinfinity 6’8” with a wing span to match makes up for a little quickness. He’ll get some minutes to season him for next year if nothing else.

Our defense has lacked shot-blockers the last year or two. I could see that changing next year. And shot-blocking could be a determining factor in rotation of the front-court. Silvio and Doke have a bit more experience in this dept, but Dave's size suggests he should be able to be a factor. It's a skill in which instincts and timing can be an equalizer to athleticism.

bskeet said:

Our defense has lacked shot-blockers the last year or two. I could see that changing next year. And shot-blocking could be a determining factor in rotation of the front-court. Silvio and Doke have a bit more experience in this dept, but Dave's size suggests he should be able to be a factor. It's a skill in which instincts and timing can be an equalizer to athleticism.

Some good points here.

Udoka is a guy that can average 2+ blks a game. His Soph year he had 60 and before the injury last season I think we saw some improvement from him on instincts and when to contest a shot at the rim. I distinctly remember him blocking a 3 point attempt in one of the earlier games last season. The instincts are there but he's been limited every year in some capacity. I'm not expecting he becomes Embiid/Withey/Aldrich all of a sudden but I think his presence alone alongside another athletic big at minimum is going to limit easy baskets that our smaller lineups over the past few years have struggled with.

Silvio & Dave are not natural rim protectors but I think they will hold their own. Silvio is a very good athlete and we should see better defensive instincts out of him now that he's had time in the program. If Dave continues to improve his athleticism and explosiveness as Self has said is happening you have to be excited about what he can do.

Prison Mitch has elite instincts as a shot blocker especially weakside. His anticipation is a skill.

There should be no excuse for KU limiting easy baskets and protecting the rim at an above average level this season

@approxinfinity

Quick twitch is helpful, but not required in D1. Proper positioning is more important (hedging). At the pro level, they need everything.

I've come to realize that hedging isn't part of the coaching at Kansas (or at most D1 schools). It's a pity to give up such an advantage.

bskeet said:

Our defense has lacked shot-blockers the last year or two. I could see that changing next year. And shot-blocking could be a determining factor in rotation of the front-court. Silvio and Doke have a bit more experience in this dept, but Dave's size suggests he should be able to be a factor. It's a skill in which instincts and timing can be an equalizer to athleticism.

Shot blocking itself isn't essential. The ability to alter shots is more important to me and this roster is more than capable of altering many shots at the rim. Blocks will happen eventually, but I'm much more concerned about changing shots than blocking shots.

Blocked shots at the college level frequently go out of bounds and the other team usually retains possession. Altering shots usually lead to rebound opportunities and change of possession.

Anyone see how good Ochai looked being fed by Tyshawn in the scrimmage? I hope DD was taking note..

@KUSTEVE I hear what you're saying, horses need to be fed.

drgnslayr said:

@approxinfinity

Quick twitch is helpful, but not required in D1. Proper positioning is more important (hedging). At the pro level, they need everything.

I've come to realize that hedging isn't part of the coaching at Kansas (or at most D1 schools). It's a pity to give up such an advantage.

It is a relatively recent departure from hedging for Kansas, basically in the OAD era. Hopefully it returns.

Help me out here, guys, but we hedge screens. Doke was hedging out top last year.

My view is that hedging HURTS three point defense. It's a half measure. This is a concept that plays into the hands of the top three point shooting teams. Remember, this is a new age.

What happens to the hedger's defensive responsibility? Right, three pointer drilled.

My view is that to combat the better three point shooting teams, we need to SWITCH on screens at the line. Big, small, short, tall. Doesn't matter. It's a trade off. Doke may get beat off the dribble if the switch is exposed. But so be it. We need to funnel those teams to a less harmful option. To combat three point shooting teams, we have to switch, and switch aggressively.

But I'd be interested in others' thoughts.

@HighEliteMajor dig it. I think you're right. Makes sense.

approxinfinity said:

drgnslayr said:

@approxinfinity

Quick twitch is helpful, but not required in D1. Proper positioning is more important (hedging). At the pro level, they need everything.

I've come to realize that hedging isn't part of the coaching at Kansas (or at most D1 schools). It's a pity to give up such an advantage.

It is a relatively recent departure from hedging for Kansas, basically in the OAD era. Hopefully it returns.

Boom. Basically they don’t play together long enough to learn how to play good team D. Hedging, switching, lane jumping. All improve with team chemistry.

Moss will help the 3 point defense tremendously, imo. The only time Tech doubles is when they have you pinned on the baseline, and you're trapped. Wish we did the same thing...

@approxinfinity

I could be mistaken but I'm thinking TRele was the last guy that knew how to hedge.

So, what we're all saying is we're ready for some freaking defense? I miss those days when the opposition scored 65 or 70, and we averaged about - just a ballpark - 84. Some can be attributed to the Big12 getting better (which it has) but not all. We've got the horses this year.

@Marco I don't want to see this again...ever:

https://kuathletics.com/news/2019/2/23/mens-basketball-hot-shooting-red-raiders-sink-jayhawks-91-62.aspx ↗ ↗

@KUSTEVE I hear you there.

KUSTEVE said:

@Marco I don't want to see this again...ever:

https://kuathletics.com/news/2019/2/23/mens-basketball-hot-shooting-red-raiders-sink-jayhawks-91-62.aspx ↗ ↗

WHY - ? - - -WHY ? - - OH WHY ? - -Jethro - - WHY? - you love misery? lol - -I didn't need to see that lmao. - - ROCK CHALK ALL DAY LONG BABY

@HighEliteMajor Yesterday I watched the 2007 epic Big 12 Championship game TX (with Durant) vs. KU and we switched on EVERYTHING back then. But to me the key was our players were so much more athletic and frankly so much better than today's cache of players. The talent we had, especially defensively, was dramatically better than today's players. Rush had 4 blocks that game, forget Sasha or Shady. And they were uber-athletic blocks. So to play D like that again, we are going to need much, much better athletes. I would say our new roster is moving in that direction, but basically every key player on that team played in high-level professional leagues and the main guys had good NBA careers. We are not at that level anymore, thus the drop in D and inability to hedge and switch effectively. When you watch that team, it is just astounding how hard they played and the level of intensity at which they played. Grimes moved on because he did not have that "it" like Russ Rob, Mario, Brandon, and Sherron. As Bill was fond of saying, "They were some hard rockin' cats." Grimes and his ilk are soft fluffy kittens in comparison. I also think we may have underestimated the loss of the influence of Danny and Jank. They were higher level coaches than Snacks and Roberts.

@Fightsongwriter No question. Our bigs haven't been the same since Manning left.

@Fightsongwriter

I think a lot of it is desire. Hustle. Grit.

Jaybate and I used to talk about Mezzoball. Let's take our team from this past year. Suddenly, they have their heads removed for losing a game. Don't you think they would look a lot more athletic?

I think Dedric has more athleticism than people give him credit, perhaps not great, but better than he showed. And he could have made up for a lot by playing with energy. I recall so many times he would lumber back on defense....

Don't forget they changed the rules too! Really hurt our teams. I can't see dedric being athletic, I've never seen a worse defender to play in my life. He must have sat out during the agility drills.

While Dedric wasn't the athlete all of us demanded, I'll always admire any KU player that scores 20 and rebounds 10. Where would last year's team have been without Dedric?

I’m really glad most of the non-athletes have left the team. There is one newcomer it would appear though in Wilson (hope I’m wrong). Bill does better the more athletic his team.

One thing that always struck me, is Self said he looks for shooters first and foremost in recruiting. I wonder if that’s why he falls in love with a Garrett type whom he doesn’t have to reach nearly as much as the athlete-shooter who knows not much else?

@dylans are you saying that he's the exception to what Self's looking for and so he stands out? I imagine Garrett reminds Self of his youth, back when the world was young and he believed that defense wins championships. Self got hurt bad by the killer BB losses and while his analytics told him "more possessions and more O, and embrace the OAD", his heart whispered "Marcus garrettttttttt" and that's how Marcus Garrett, KU jackknife and 2019-20 hero of the Jayhawk People was born.

@Fightsongwriter Plenty of athletes capable of playing elite defense playing at TTU and Virginia. Unless you mean only current players at KU.

@drgnslayr Dedric WAS trying hard. He was just that slow and unathletic. He again, along with Grimes had some of the absolute worst measurables at the combine.

@Crimsonorblue22 Self should have adjusted to the rule changes by now. No more excuses it's been many years.

@dylans What Bill says vs what Bill does.

@approxinfinity HOWLING.

When discussing defense, and switching to defend the three .. think of it this way. Is there any better defense against the three than stationing all five players equally spaced on the perimeter, and simply playing zone? There would be very little opportunity for a look from three. But, of course, and easy uncontested bucket underneath would result. Work backward from there.

One place you arrive at is active switching of everything outside of 15 feet.

I also arrive at a 3/2 zone where you guard the perimeter with the 3 players out front, with help from the ball side post defender. You expose yourself in other areas, but it's a clear method to defend a bad a** shooting team from three. This is my favorite defense to use against the group of teams that a really three point shooting oriented.

The best NBA teams have a rim protector who is a great rim runner on offense. This guy allows the other 4 to really press the 3 point shooters and fear the drive less because of the rim protector. We have Doke this year so the other 4 should theoretically be able to do this. You also have to have players that really understand the scouting report and know which guys they can help off of.

So, our rebuild year only managed 26 wins...woe is us. Dedric is gone. Q is gone. Rec league Charlie is gone. Vick is still on important business... Mom NEEDS him. The first step in recovery is letting go of the past. Yes, we are scarred by only having 2 wins over Final Four teams. Not winning the B12. Not making at least an Elite 8. Oh, the horror. But hope abounds with our fresh faced cherubs to turn our little frowns upside down. Have hope, mighty Bucketeers...help is on the way...

@BShark

You are right about Dedric and Q having less athletic ability and I don't want to give the impression Dedric never hustled. He definitely hustled on the offensive end, particularly when he had the ball and was trying to score.

As many called it before me... Dedric played "old man ball." Sometimes he took plays off or reserved his energy for plays he could finish with results... hence.. his solid stat sheet results.

I guess I can't get one play out of my head. I think it was against ISU, and our guys were headed back on defense. Dedric was facing the ISU goal, on their side of the court and just jogging back, nice and slow and not even watching what was happening as the ISU player drove right past him for an easy layup. The optics were attrocious.

We had a lot of play like that last year, and from more players than Dedric.

Except for a player or two, like Devon... weren't our guys rested enough to hang on the court with the speed of D1? I don't think anyone will remember our team last year for their hustle. Speaking of Devon... with all his PT minutes... I put him at the top of the list for hustle.

I don't think it matters how we stack our roster if our guys aren't going to "take it to the max" on hustle. We'll face an early exit in March again.

In regards to defense, it's not possible to defend everything without sacrifice. Self has made his bed and has chosen to defend the paint and the 2 point shot.

The problem with switching everything is that opponents will create match ups where Doke is brought out to the perimeter and switched onto a guard. Doke isn't quick enough to guard out there and our guards aren't strong enough to defend a big in the screen/pick and roll. This means opponents would have a lot of easy baskets at the rim or KU would be in massive foul trouble.

That's what happens when you switch everything. With the 3 point line moving back, there will be a big reduction in the number of 3's attempted just like last time the line was moved back and a drop in the 3 point % as well. Self's current strategy on defense will be just fine next year and we'll all be praising him for adjusting when the reality is that the adjustment came from the NCAA itself in moving the line back.

@Texas-Hawk-10 The issue with the big on the perimeter is the obvious and previously stated issue with switching, which you reiterated.

You don't switch everything against every team. You don't switch everything all the time. You switch everything when defending the three is the top priority.

And of course, once you switch, you take the opportunity to re-establish your defenders when it's available. And no, it doesn't mean massive foul trouble. That's where coaching comes in. The big has to defend the perimeter on his feet, not off his feet. And the smaller player has to avoid slapping at the ball when there's a mismatch low.

The fact is that there will be mismatches everywhere.

It's almost comical how the response is to say how it can't work, no way, no how.

A link I found that might help with some insight.

http://www.zigzaganalytics.com/home/-how-elite-teams-defend-the-3-point-shot-in-the-modern-nba ↗

Of course, the excellent point is that with the line moved back, we don't know how that will play out.

@drgnslayr I do think hustle was an issue at times last year. Grimes and Vick were prime offenders. Last year also had some of the worst team Chem I have ever seen under Bill.

@HighEliteMajor Here's my issue with switching on the perimeter. KU allowed opponents to make 33.6% from three last year. Final Four teams like Virginia, Tech, and MSU were all under 30% so over the course of a game, that's 1 or 2 more there's on average. Switching and guarding the line means sacrificing interior defense. There absolutely is a trade off for everything and that's the trade off for guarding the line better is the interior defense. Being a poor interior defense bothers me a lot more than poor perimeter defense does.

The reason being that teams shoot much better the closer they get to the rim obviously. The other reasons why are like I said, teams would exploit that philosophy to get a big on a much quicker player which leads to either and easy lay up, easy lay up and foul, or slow rotation for an open 3.

My opinion probably comes from coaching middle school basketball where most kids can't even make 10% from outside, but a lot think they're Steph Curry and will shoot when open.

I will probably always be of the opinion of guarding inside as the top priority because those shots are such a higher percentage than outside that if I have to sacrifice something, I'll risk getting burned from deep than getting burned from the paint.

@BShark Yeah, once Dok went down that was pretty well all she wrote. But I agree on Lawson. Where would we have been last year without him?

Texas Hawk 10 said:

@HighEliteMajor Here's my issue with switching on the perimeter. KU allowed opponents to make 33.6% from three last year. Final Four teams like Virginia, Tech, and MSU were all under 30% so over the course of a game, that's 1 or 2 more there's on average. Switching and guarding the line means sacrificing interior defense. There absolutely is a trade off for everything and that's the trade off for guarding the line better is the interior defense. Being a poor interior defense bothers me a lot more than poor perimeter defense does.

The reason being that teams shoot much better the closer they get to the rim obviously. The other reasons why are like I said, teams would exploit that philosophy to get a big on a much quicker player which leads to either and easy lay up, easy lay up and foul, or slow rotation for an open 3.

My opinion probably comes from coaching middle school basketball where most kids can't even make 10% from outside, but a lot think they're Steph Curry and will shoot when open.

I will probably always be of the opinion of guarding inside as the top priority because those shots are such a higher percentage than outside that if I have to sacrifice something, I'll risk getting burned from deep than getting burned from the paint.

This is where I'm at as well. Elite teams shoot around 40% from 3, which is equal to 60% from inside the arc on a points/shot basis. Sacrificing defense inside the arc might allow some teams to push that 60% number if they get enough easy looks at the rim. Better to lock people down inside the arc and dare them to beat you from 3, especially now that the line is further out. Even if the percentage made falls by a couple percentage points, say from 35% to 33%, That's a couple points per game lost from the outside. The median was 24.4 attempts/game. So if 35% of that is 8.5 makes per game, and 33% is 8 per game. That's 1.5 points less that we'd expect from the perimeter per game, holding attempts constant (which is convenient, but not entirely sure how realistic). Puts more of a premium on inside scoring since 2 pt FG% probably won't change a whole lot. So on the margin I'm more in favor of not allowing potentially easy buckets inside and more for allowing a few more open 3's.

@Texas-Hawk-10 @FarmerJayhawk Both of your emails, in my opinion, miss the point of why I brought up switching.

It's, again, not to do it all the time, and not against every team as your primary strategy. It's when their three ball is a primary weapon.

I also think that you are missing an important point -- shots "at the rim" are much different than "shots inside the arc." Percentages are dreadful, usually, inside the are in relation to the relative value of the shot, when those shots are not at the rim. The only players NOT over 60% at the rim for KU last season were Moore, Grimes, and Garrett.

However, regarding the percentage from two point range, NOT at the rim, only three players were over 50% - Dave, Mitch, and KJ, and only Agbaji and Vick were the only other two over 40%. Everyone else was horrible, really.

But more importantly, you do not have to make a large sacrifice at the rim, to guard the three point line. You are just more compromised. You can do both. But you can give up the shot from inside the arc to five feet and guard both. That's the area that a three point defensive strategy focuses on sacrificing.

There is not doubt that a good shooting three point team like Auburn is still more dangerous at the rim. But the game dynamic also impacts -- our number of possession, our field goal percentage, the number of offensive rebounds caused by missed three point shots (which is better than on missed shots at the rim), etc.

The general approach to you comments seem to ignore the value of switching in the correct strategic context.

@BShark Yes of cousre just KU players. But thanks for proving the point via TT and UVA!

@HighEliteMajor very true, people tend to forget the worst shot percentage wise in the the game is just inside the 3 point line. I think moving the line back as they have done this offseason will really benefit our team.

I know strategy on switches is important. But what I put above everything is hustle, team work and hedging.

When was that, 3 years ago when Nova throttled us in March? And with mostly 3-star guys, or whatever? I just remember we had a solid shooting trey team and our guys were never open in that game. And when the ball went inside, they pinched off driving lanes from our bigs and often forced TOs. Perry scored a whopping 4 points. Nova played really good defense. I know Self likes to consider his strategy to be about defense first... but we've never played sticky defense like that. Nova took us totally out of our game. We only scored 59 points and I recall we tightened the game up late or otherwise it was worse. They stole the ball from us 11 times in that game. If Devonte didn't get hot from the outside we wouldn't have scored 50. Most every shot was contested.

drgnslayr said:

I know strategy on switches is important. But what I put above everything is hustle, team work and hedging.

When was that, 3 years ago when Nova throttled us in March? And with mostly 3-star guys, or whatever? I just remember we had a solid shooting trey team and our guys were never open in that game. And when the ball went inside, they pinched off driving lanes from our bigs and often forced TOs. Perry scored a whopping 4 points. Nova played really good defense. I know Self likes to consider his strategy to be about defense first... but we've never played sticky defense like that. Nova took us totally out of our game. We only scored 59 points and I recall we tightened the game up late or otherwise it was worse. They stole the ball from us 11 times in that game. If Devonte didn't get hot from the outside we wouldn't have scored 50. Most every shot was contested.

You're right, of course. But don't underestimate scheme. The foundation is what you suggest and have suggested in past ... hustle and desire. You can't have good defense without that. If we are not in the scheme to properly defend, if we're defending a different game (one that didn't emphasize the three), we're looking like we did against Nova in the FF. They shot open three, after open three.

@HighEliteMajor

Right. I'm just on my high horse about hustle. I feel like a lot of years we underachieve in that department. I do have a great feeling about this coming team and I rarely feel that optimistic when it comes to hustle.

I know Devon will play with a chip all year and surely others will, too, regarding being the team that lost the streak.

I see this as a team that will be all-in for Selfball.

@drgnslayr last yr and wigs are the only two recently. Usually Self teams play very hard.

@drgnslayr That team quit in several games last year. As a team, it's like many of them were disconnected from wins or losses. Thank God we lost a bunch of them, and kept the team players.

@KUSTEVE I agree one all counts. I just didn't feel last year's team, even when we were winning. This year, though, I think we can be special. De Sousa is going to foul out of alot of games, because he's going to play like a mad man.

@Marco This is a throwback year for us. This team is reminiscent of Bill's best teams in the past. Tons of experience and talent, the most formidable front line in college basketball, with some really incredible guards. Defensively, we'll be light years ahead of last year. We've all discussed the Ochai break out, but there will be a Dotson break out as well, and a Doke break out, too. I also think Dave is going to force his way onto the court, and him and Silvio will be a dynamic duo. I think we'll be talking about this team's roster for years and years.

@KUSTEVE

Let's hope we are talking about this team like the 2008 team for years to come... along with the hardware!

@Marco

Notice, last year, there were very few teams we pulled away from. We struggled against most teams. We can call it "lack of killer instinct" or, more accurately, "lack of hustle."

@drgnslayr I would say it was alot of both.

@Marco

I wonder what our average margin of victory was last year? Versus past years?

Anyone know?

So hard to find reason w/last years team. We were 2 separate teams, lost doke, then Vick, gained Ochai. Wonder if Vick hurt team while still here? Ranked 1, then doke went down, not sure it is fair to judge last years team as harshly. No subs we were counting on playing as much, or if at all. Scrambling all year. Rode d dot hard, 'bout had to depend on grimes. Rough year. Positive in developing d dot, d Mac and Ochai.

Last year's team absolutely took on Lagerald Vick's personality. Think about all of the complaints about Vick while he was at KU, then think about the complaints with last year's team. They match up almost perfectly and why I was hesitant about wanting him back last season. Had there been other senior leadership on that team last year, I don't think it would've been an issue because Vick never wanted to be a leader. Since Vick was the only senior, he was put into that role against his will basically and it reflected on the team as the season went on and faced some adversity which Vick had never handled well.

Leadership will also be the biggest question mark for this team as well. Is Doke capable of filling that role? Will Garrett or Dotson step up into that role? Can Isaiah Miss come in and take that role? The answer to the leadership question will play a much more significant factor in determining what KU does in March and hopefully April than any other question mark this team has.

nbadraft.net has Ochai as the #7 pick in 2020 draft.
https://www.nbadraft.net/2020mock_draft ↗

@Texas-Hawk-10 I don't question the leadership on this team. The team is stacked with leaders, not just one guy. I think without a doubt that Devon Dotson is #1, and Marcus is 1A. Then you go to a 4 year Doke, along with a grown man in Silvio. Both of those guys are not here to play around, or pout. Now, that's not counting a true leader named Lightfoot that is going to be in all those guy's ears the whole time. Then we get a 2nd year Ochai, who is simply brimming with confidence. Ochai plays with a confidence that is very rare to find. And the cherry on top is a senior coming out of the B10 that has been through the wars, been there...done that..has the t-shirt. Moss will win some games for us because he absolutely loves the ball when the game is on the line.

I think our whole freshmen crop are guys that are pretty humble guys...guys that are working their butts off. There's only one guy that I think is in line for adjustment, and that is JW. Hopefully, he'll realize he is in a much larger arena than what he's been in. I think the power of the team will work on him, and he'll realize he has a lot of work ahead of him. In the end, I think JW becomes a nice weapon for us, but I certainly see some growing pains ahead.

All in all, this team is a true throwback to the best teams that Bill has ever had. I see comparisons to 2007, 2008, 2011, 2012, and even a sprinkling of 2016. More than anything, we simply have more experience ...more guys that have been through the trenches. Getting Doke, Dotson, and Silvio back is astonishing. We've never had a freshman point guard do what DD did last year. Never. His first year, he had better number's than Tyshawn's junior year, Frank's sophomore year, and arguably Devonte's sophomore year ( although Devonte smoked him on 3point%). Now, the argument could reasonably be made that Frank and Devonte didn't have the same opportunity that DD did, and when they did get the chance, they put up similar numbers. Fair point. BUT... first year coming in ...never played a second of college ball, and being thrown into the fire from the git-go...that's pretty amazing. That's the mark of a leader to me...

@KUSTEVE I'm in awe of the guy who transformed his body from this: !?8aff03de2423e912a2467e97388a07f5331c05b6" target="_blank" rel="noopener">?eec9ecda5f66de59a37bbdb23c6f48523261b548" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img src="http://worldonline.media.clients.ellingtoncms.com/img/croppedphotos/2019/02/20/BigDave1_t650.jpg?eec9ecda5f66de59a37bbdb23c6f48523261b548 ↗.

Pretty sure this guy can lead by example.

@KUSTEVE I question if any of those guys truly can step up though when it became apparent last year they all followed Vick who was never a leader. None of the players appear to be a locker room cancer, but that doesn't mean any of them are natural leaders either. We can speculate all we want, but until we see what happens in November on the court, I'm going to be skeptical.

@approxinfinity he's amazing!

I don't see a DG in that group, doesn't mean one won't step up. I think lightfoot has leadership qualities, but can he do that on the bench?

Dotson's team imo

One thing to remember — chemistry can be the leader. A bonded group focused on team goals, a commitment to the guy next to them, and a complete buy in to what the coach is selling. The strongest leader is team. Negative forces are squeezed out.

We don’t have an obvious natural leader it appears. But so long as we don’t have an anti-leader or anti-leaders — a manipulative voice of dissension that has persuasive influence — the idea of team chemistry being the leader can easily prevail.

And out of that, leaders can emerge. My bet is Garrett, but given what SDS went through, he’s a clear choice for me.

**we know why Vick was shown the door.

@Texas-Hawk-10 I don't necessarily see freshmen standing up to seniors as the litmus test for leadership , but that's just my opinion. We never saw a freshman Devonte go up and bitch out an upperclassman, but that doesn't mean he was disqualified to be the team leader in later years. I certainly wouldn't disqualify Devon because he didn't get into with Vick. Or maybe he did get into it with him, and that's why Vick left, and we just haven't been told about it. We truly don't know, and we're not privy to things like that very often. I know this - the more experienced a team is, the less we need the stereotypical "leader". I would say that Russ Rob was as much a leader as Mario when they won the national championship, but that's simply my view from the outside in. I could certainly be wrong. Like I said, we have 4 or 5 guys who could deemed leaders this year. My money is on Devon to be leader of the pack.

Wasn't DG picked by the marines, can't remember which armed service it was, as a leader as a freshmen?

@KUSTEVE Sounds like you're taking the position of best player has to be the leader based on your comments regarding 2008. I've got news for you, Russell Robinson was the leader of that team and there's plenty of first hand accounts that verify that. Sherron Collins took that mantle from Robinson, Taylor and the Morris twins were next, then, T-Rob, EJ and Withey, then a stretch where KU was lacking a good leader (Tharpe year), then Mason and Lucas took over, Graham took it from Mason, last year was Vick and then nobody stepped into that role after Vick left which is why I'm concerned for next season.

The leader doesn't have to be the PG or the best player, but it needs to be someone who plays a lot of minutes and will speak up in a huddle when needed.

The one guy who has shown glimpses of taking that role is Marcus Garrett, but it remains to be seen if he'll fully embrace that role or try to defer it since he's not a senior yet.

@Texas-Hawk-10 do you think Vick actually lead? I know Self talked about him preseason, guessing he was leading then.

@Crimsonorblue22

http://www2.kusports.com/news/2018/mar/07/finding-his-voice-how-devonte-graham-became-one-be/ ↗

Needing a nudge to help the idea take root, Self brought in a group of military veterans who founded the team-building initiative known as “The Program,” to see if they could help bring Graham’s natural leadership skills to the surface.

KU’s time with The Program that season coincided with Self’s already infamous boot camp conditioning routine. Together, the two challenges pushed Graham to new highs — and lows — and inspired him to find his voice.

After a day of getting used to the rigors of The Program, Graham was put in charge of nearly a dozen different challenges during the next two days. Communication, motivation, survival and focus all came into to play, and Graham flourished while leading his teammates through it all.

Kansas forward Cliff Alexander (2) comes in to celebrate with guard Devonte Graham after Graham forced a turnover by Baylor guard Kenny Chery (1) during the first half, Saturday, Feb. 14, 2015 at Allen Fieldhouse.

Never was that more clear than during an exercise in the 13-foot-deep end of the swimming pool, when Graham and former teammate Tyler Self were forced to help Cliff Alexander navigate his way across the pool despite the freshman forward from Chicago not knowing how to swim.

“Mom, I almost died today,” was the way Graham later relayed the story to King.

“It was me and Tyler, treading water, holding Cliff,” Graham recalled. “One of us would go under the water and hold him up by his legs while the other one was on top and then we would kind of switch. And when we were switching, I was going under and Cliff hit me in the face and I sucked in a bunch of water. Man. It got bad right there.”

But Graham got through it. And so did Alexander.

Eric Kapitulik, a former lacrosse player at the United States Naval Academy and retired Marine who founded The Program, remembers it like it was yesterday. That’s saying something given the fact that his company, during the past 10 years, has worked with more than 150 college, pro and corporate teams annually in similar settings.

Their goal, each time, is to develop better leaders and create more cohesive teams. By the time they were done with the Jayhawks, Kapitulik had seen all he needed to see from Graham to know what kind of future the newest Jayhawk had in front of him.

After putting KU’s entire 2014-15 roster through as many physically and mentally adverse situations as they could think of, Kapitulik and his crew named Graham the best leader of the bunch.

@HighEliteMajor wow. I missed that one first go around. Thanks for sharing.

@Texas-Hawk-10 I agree it doesn't have to be the leading scorer, but I'll never forget the huddle in the national championship game where Russ and Mario were both urging the team on. Great teams don't have just one leader- they have a myriad of players coming together. They might have one guy who yells the loudest, but leadership comes in more ways than that. Marcus is by far our most vocal leader. He learned that from Devonte. He's a natural. Dotson will carry the leadership mantle as well this year. Probably not in the same way as Marcus because that's not necessarily his personality. But no one on that team took that loss to Auburn harder than Devon. And like I alluded to in an earlier post, he performed magnificently in an extremely difficult spot - starting point guard as a freshman. When he announced he was coming back, it was "we have business to take care of", so he has a very clear idea what needs to be done. The truth is, I believe in both DD and Marcus, and I think both will be leaders of this team this year.

Mitch knows the Kansas way. Dotson will be the floor general. Garrett will be the vocal leader. Ochai will keep the teams spirit up - great attitude. McCormack can lead by example - great workout ethic.

I get the concerns about leadership, its no different then our concerns about shooting. The roster has changed significantly from last season. We have to let that grow on it's own. We are a while away from knowing what this team will be. Younger players are a in position to show leadership (see Devon, Ochai & Dave for example). All 3 possess the type of character that could take that on. I think we'll see Devon take over if I had a pick. If I'm guessing, that's probably what Self is expecting of his returning PG as well. I expect everyone else will contribute in a positive manner. I can see this being a fun team for Self to coach especially in the absence of ego's.
Looks like I'm picking a good year to experience my first KU game in person!

@BeddieKU23 agreed. We are all amped to see what this team can be but the truth is its alot of speculation until it's here. Tyshawns comments about it being a young team reminded me. The more we can approach this as a growing year with a championship ceiling and a first weekend exit floor until we get deep into conference play , the more we can enjoy the bumps along the road as these guys find cohesion and roles. The sky's the limit but we're currently assembling our wings and probably will be for a good part of the season.

@approxinfinity it's to bad moss couldn't be here earlier.

@approxinfinity

I'm super excited by all the pieces we have. I did not imagine a few months ago we'd have Azubuike back, Silvio eligible and have snagged Jalen Wilson & Moss so late in the game. Despite returning some key players with experience this group is super young playing together. I don't expect this team to look good now, that's not the goal as you've pretty much stated as well. This is a throwback roster with no OAD's or ego's to manage. I'm pumped.

@approxinfinity This is a much more inexperienced team than the classifications next to the players names would indicate.

Doke has played less than 2 seasons worth of games in his 3 years. Silvio is a junior that's played a little over half a season. Lightfoot has played minimal minutes most of his career. Agbaji has only played about half a season and was playing hurt most of that time.

Marcus Garrett is probably the most experienced player returning this season and if he's not, he's not far behind Doke.

@Texas-Hawk-10 great point.

So many of these guys are ultra hungry, they have that nasty feeling from last year. Doke from injuries, Silvio, can't even imagine how much he wants to prove himself, we saw what losing did to d dot, sounds like moss had a bad taste. I'm sure Marcus is ready to prove us wrong and ready to test his ankle. Big Dave wanting to show some range! Lightfoot wants to go out with a bang! I think the new guys want to help out and gel. I feel like these guys know what it means to play for KU!

@Crimsonorblue22

Well said!

@approxinfinity

Big Mac is special. His game is advancing so quickly. I can't think of a player that has advanced his game this fast.

Reminds me of Forest Gump... "life is like a box of chocolates" because no one (including our coaching staff) could have guessed David would advance this quickly. Just the improvement in his athleticism has completely changed his game. Now he's adding range to his shot and it's come so far as to receive high praise from Self.

When David came to Kansas he was viewed as a 4-year player. Not so sure now.

If he can advance so quickly in his athleticism and shooting... will that transfer over to his handles, too? Imagine that!

@dylans

I'm imagining Silvio and Doke being a huge spiritual lift from just getting out there and playing since neither were deciding factors in last year.

And then there is David. His game is transforming daily and it's hard to not jump on his inspirational bandwagon.

Ochai... someone forgot to tell him he's not supposed to be starting for a blue blood program!

Devon... why didn't he go cash in? He might not have been drafted but he would have doors open and would have drawn a paycheck. He's got something to prove. Losing doesn't settle well with him at all, and it's refreshing to see that!

Marcus... there will always be the critics thinking he doesn't deserve many minutes and he will continue to prove them wrong.

The new guys... who knows what they bring to this but they will be surrounded by a team full of guys who have a high desire to go prove something. I'm hopeful they all buy right in!

We have a team full of guys who can (and will) spiritually lead this team. This will truly be a rare team!