🏀 KuBuckets Archive

Just imagine how far along he would be if he hadn't missed the first five games for no apparent reason.

Tonight could very well be the night. Coach Self has been on the recruiting trail. He needs to show potential recruits something. Speaking of potential, wasn't Steph Curry once a recruit that a lot of D-1 Schools passed on? Could you imagine the recruiting war in hindsight? Wow. It appears in that situation, all he needed was a chance. I see something special in Vick. I am not saying Steph Curry special, but he just has it, in my humble opinion. Looking forward to watching him play. As far as Diallo and Bragg, I am glad they do not appear to complain about their situation. There opportunity will come soon. It has to.

@jaybate-1.0 A Freshman with Vick's skiilset, when given a chance, can help propel a team on a deep tourney run. I hope Self gives the young man a chance. Plus it's great for recruiting.

Diallo and Bragg will get their chance this year. Coach Self does not have a choice. Every big time recruit is watching the plight of Diallo and Bragg. Believe me, they are taking notes.

We get so caught up in that and we end up forgetting about Vick. It would be nice to see him get minutes early in th season, because we may very well need him later on. I would love for Vick to get more experience, while allowing Mason III and Graham to keep their legs somewhat fresh.

Jamari has been valuable to the program for the past 5 seasons. Unfortunately for him, there are better options this year. To play Jamari Traylor max minutes in my opinion would have a negative impact on recruiting, not to mention on the team itself. Potential recruits are watching everything.

@HighEliteMajor Can't argue with your list.

@Crimsonorblue22 That dunk was nasty!!

Wilt!

@Bosthawk Outstanding post. Thanks.

@KUSTEVE Thanks, we are on the same page. I say try to win the Conference first, and then put best foot forward come tournament time. Losing in the tournament does not mean failure. Winning the Conference Title means there were many successful moments.

@Lulufulu I would love to rematch MSU this week!

@wissoxfan83 I always looked at 1988 as Karma for 1986. If Kansas were a double digit seed, I might consider them a cinderella. Fact is they were a 6 seed and played an incredible schedule. A 6 seed would mean they were considered in the top 24 since there are 4 brackets. Nothing cinderella about that. I know it makes for a great story created by the media. Fact is they took on all comers. They played a Kansas State team that made the Elite 8 four times during the season, they played Oklahoma 3 times, and Duke twice. Danny, Milt, and Kevin were excellent basketball players. In my opinion the 1988 team was not a cinderella team that came from out of nowhere. My main issue is with teams with losing records being allowed into the tournament.

@DoubleDD I said the NCAA Tournament is a crapshoot, and here is why: 68 Teams to decide the best team in College Basketball? What a joke. Take a look at NCAA Football. I know they play games once a week and most schools play at least 12 games. I get all of that, but the games that decide Championships are best of the best games. Agreed? You must win at least 6 games to become "Bowl Eligible" which is the reward for having a decent season. To contend for a National Championship, you must win and the emphasis is on winning each week. 1 loss, usually means you are still okay, 2 losses and your season could be in jeopardy, and 3 losses, you can pretty much forget about it. That's the format and it pretty much is a best of the best tournament.

With NCAA Basketball it does not matter what a team does in the regular season at all to get in. An example, teams that won only 12 games and have 17 losses still get in a tournament to decide a National Championship. Where did this mess come from? It has to be about the money? It cannot be about deciding what team is the best. It discredits teams that have worked very hard to have excellent Regular Seasons.

Speaking from the heart, the real culprit is the end of season Conference Tournaments. How does every team get invited to a Conference Tournament. If every team is invited, then they should have it at the midpoint of the Regular Season.

Just like in school, if you get F's on your Report Card, then you should not expect to be placed on the Honor Roll.

In the John Wooden Era, only the Regular Season Champion got in the tournament. The 1970-1971 USC Trojans went 24-2 with their only 2 losses coming to UCLA and they were not invited to the NCAA Tournament. There were no "At Large Bids" back then.

So, lets flip the script. How successful would Bill Self's Kansas Teams have been in John Wooden's format, and how successful would John Wooden's UCLA Teams have been in the current format?

I am not for all of the "Cinderella" stories. Cinderella is a fairytale. I would like to see a best of the best tournament that rewards excellence in the Regular Season. A team that suddenly gets it at the end of the season, and goes on an incredible run should do so in the NIT. Cinderella does not belong in the NCAA Tournament, Regular Season Champions do. Just my opinion. I am not in any way trying to convince anyone that my way is the only way of thinking when it comes to this topic. We are all entitled to our opinions, I am expressing mine and I respect and appreciate everyones opinion on the subject even though we may disagree. Hopefully, we all agree that we love it when KU wins!!!

@MoonwalkMafia Do you know what the requirement was just to get into the NCAA Tournament was back during the Wooden Years?

@ralster Thanks. That's the only way I can truthfully answer that question. I would not be happy suffering through a season of not being the best team in a Power 5 Conference. I appreciate Kansas efforts through the regular season. Anyone that has watch the tournament since 1985 when it switched to its current format knows that it is a crapshoot and not a best of the best tournament. I wish the tournament only had 32 teams, that way it would truly be a best of the best tournament and winning the regular season would count for something and not be so easily marginalized.

@ralster Agreed. I like and I appreciate Traylor's efforts. I don't think he will ever become a double-double machine that Bragg can be for this team. Not at this point in his career anyway.

Bragg over Traylor? Definitely. Bragg is more polished than Traylor. Bottom line is Bragg is just a better player. I like Traylor and he gives great effort, however he is not on Bragg's level. A good comparison would be Teahan and McLemore. Had McLemore been eligible, Teahan's minutes would have diminished significantly. The best players need to play. This is not to say that Teahan could not play. McLemore was clearly the better player.

@ralster If Bragg plays starter minutes, would he average a double-double? I for one, think that he would.

@DoubleDD My answer is I cheer for KU to win every single game. So of course I would take the Conference Title. The Conference Championship shows sustained excellence during the regular season. As I have mentioned many times over, the NCAA Tournament is flawed. Teams that have not done "Jack Diddly Squat" over the course of an entire season can get in. I am not impressed. What I can appreciate is a team that goes out and consistently wins 25-30+ games year in and year out, again, sustained excellence. That what makes Kansas a top tier basketball program to me. I would love to win the NCAA Tournament every year, but at the same time I wish it were a true tournament of Champions. When teams with a record of 12-17 get into the tournament, something is wrong with the system. So, yes sign me up for the Conference Championship. That's the way it is for me. I will take my chance in the NCAA Tournament, because in the end, that's all it is.

@HighEliteMajor You can't answer the question? You often say the National Championship is the only thing that matters? So if it is the only thing that matters, shouldn't that be your answer to the question? And yes, I read your reply to the question.

@drgnslayr Great point!

Some of us just want to rejoice in the afterglow of finally having Diallo and not think about what could have been with someone that will never be a Jayhawk.

Bragg and Diallo are going to get their minutes. This team is about to become very dangerous. The hard truth is, the NBA caliber players are going to play more and deservingly so. Ellis, Selden, Mason, Graham, Bragg, Svi, Greene (who knows at this point?) and Diallo will be the players showcased by Coach Self. The only real odd man out is Vick. The young man can flat out play, Hopefully, Self can figure out a way to get Vick some minutes. Mickleson, Lucas, and eventually Traylor will be used only as needed. They will get some playing time, but mostly in blowouts. The rotation is getting ready to shrink down to 8 maybe 9. It's that time of the year. We all know it's coming. Coach Self has to continue recruiting, and what better way than showcasing talent while showing recruits what spots are available or whom they will be playing along side in the future. Just my thoughts.

I saw plenty of ball movement, limited turnovers in the second half, excellent 3 point shooting by Selden in the first half to keep us in it. Team hung in there against the trees. Nothing bad about that.

Nice to see The Leadership Council (TLC) step up. Selden, Mason, and Graham led the team while Perry struggled to score, but still kept his head up and contributed with rebounds. A great win against a very tall team! Thanksgiving meal will taste a little better now.

Selden is leading KU back.

Where are the leaders of this team?

Leaders must lead!! It's just that simple. Last night was a prime example of that. In times of crisis, leaders have to demand the ball and make something happen. At this point Perry, Frank, Wayne, and Devonte are the key players to go to.

@HighEliteMajor I would start by keeping the promises made during recruiting. In this day and age of social media, these kids communicate with one another. 5 Star Freshman play from day one under Calipari, Coach K, or Izzo. Our 5 Star talent is not always showcased and that will hurt in recruiting for years to come. Self must showcase Bragg and Diallo if and when he is cleared. The best players should play. I am sure there is still a way to find "loyalty" minutes for players that have been in the program for years that give good effort, but unfortunately do not have the talent.

If current 5 Star talent is not showcased, future 5 Star talent will not come.

Bill Self will coach at Kansas as long as he wants to. It's his job as long as he wants it. He is not going to win every game he coaches. He knows that and we know it too. It is just hard to accept. I expect to win every game we play. Losing is not fun. It never will be. We are happy when Kansas wins and upset and looking for someone to blame on losses. Coach Self knows that and accepts that. He will keep trying to win as many games as he can using his style, while continuing to cash checks with a smile on his face along the way.

@DoubleDD I don't hate you for telling the truth.

@Hawk8086 I only said playing time because that's all I am able to see for myself. It appears I was in the ballpark. As for me, I like players that want to play. When Brannen gets on a roll, he can knock down shots and provide momentum swings. Sometimes players just need to see the ball go in the basket. It can get the entire team fired up. A lot of the really good players that we have had, did not always see eye to eye with Coach Self. I am sure this thing will work itself out (no pun intended).

Top 50 players don't want to sit bench. Especially come junior year. Don't have a clue what the issue is.

@jayballer54 Well said. Do what works until they take it away. Unfortunately, we took it away from ourselves.

@Bwag We are talking about two completely different topics. You are showing me that Mickelson is a better option than Traylor and Lucas and apparently you have stats to support it? Okay, that's great. As for me, and this is just my opinion, the best players on the team need the ball when it's. winning time. The best players generally want and demand the ball. There are games when your best players need to take over. Last night was one of those games.

@Bwag said:

@KansasComet Hunter ranked player...Lucas/Traylor not so much.

Hunter Mickleson is not on any Wooden Watch list, 1st, 2nd, or 3rd team list. He is not one of the leaders on this team. I'm not saying he can't play. I like him quite a bit, but he is not one of our top 4 options. So Hunter/Lucas/Traylor not so much.

We lost to MSU and as a team, we deserved to lose. MSU rode their superstar. Kansas did not. MSU's Izzo coached to win. KU's Self coached not to lose. The saddest reality is we were the better, more talented team. It doesn't matter about the 7th, 8th, and 9th best players playing. What matters is we cannot close games. We could not close games last year, or the year before. The bottom line is, the best players, Frank, Wayne, and Perry did not finish the game the right way. They were nowhere near what we experienced with Chalmers, Collins, and Robinson. It is time for leaders to lead. I'm not depending on Hunter Mickelson to lead this team. That's not what he was brought here for. He is a decent player, but he is a role player, as are Lucas and Traylor. They are not the go to players on this team. If Perry is the man, then get him the ball. If Frank is the man, then he should want and expect the ball in the end. If Wayne is the man, then he should run to the ball instead of away from it in times of crisis. The season is young, but now is the time for leaders to step up.

I cannot predict the game. It will be interesting to see which players can handle the bright lights.?

I met Jay Bilas at the Final Four this year. I came away from our conversation liking him quite a bit.

@Texas-Hawk-10 Excellent and tactful post. Thanks!

My feelings on Jamari Traylor and Coach Self. There have been a few games that we do not win without him. So, yes we need him. There is not anyone that ever played the game of basketball, that hasn't had a bad game. It doesn't mean that he sucks, or has a lack of intelligence. It just means, it didn't go his way. That's what opponents are for, to ensure things don't your way. As far as what player plays and what player doesn't, that's on Coach Self. He is getting paid the big bucks to figure that out. I only watch the game. I don't have to travel and meet with recruits, some of which have zero intention of ever attending KU, but it's cool/trendy to put us on their list. I don't have to worry about these kids getting into any trouble, fights, or domestic situations. I don't have to massage their egos when they feel like they aren't getting enough minutes and want to transfer or be the bad guy that has to suggest to a kid that maybe he should. I don't have to spend sleepless night wondering about game plans or opponents nor fans unrealistic expectations. I just turn the TV on or go to the games. In other words I don't worry about Sugar Honey Iced Tea that I can't change. I do have fun talking hoops with the majority of you, but it ain't my life.

@JRyman Like always, I am looking forward to another great season of Kansas Jayhawks Basketball. Good post. I find it funny that some can criticize, but can't handle criticism.

@JayHawkFanToo As far as picking up a transcript from a foreign school, it was exactly how I described it. That was a situation that I dealt with personally. What you are describing comes after you have obtained the transcript. The first thing that must happen after obtaining a foreign transcript is to get it translated and notarized again. It appears you forgot that step, while attempting to prove me wrong. The first step depends on the country and school that you are requesting the transcript from. They are all different. I feel like you were on Diallo, saying he should know better, then you said your brother had to put things together for your nephew. That sounds like a contradiction to me. That's really the only reason I said something.

@jaybate-1.0 Based on your post, we probably should. However, we must protect the streak. We know it's crooked. Most things that involve dollar bills are.

@JayHawkFanToo I get what you are saying, Diallo should know what to expect, right? I agree with you to a point. Help me understand why your brother had to get involved with collecting paperwork? Shouldn't your nephew had known what to expect? I place blame on the adults more than a child. School administrators are required to keep records. Records of students get forwarded all the time by adults that get paid to ensure all student records are up to date. Each state has different requirements. It is possible for a child to transfer to a different state for their senior year and be told that they already have enough credits to graduate. Witnessed that one first hand. It is also possible to walk right into a foreign school, present identification and pick up a copy of your transcript on the spot. A minimal fee may apply. Witnessed that one as well.

Yes, Diallo more than likely will have millions of dollars in his future. However, the adults in his life should have had a more active role in making sure his paperwork is well prepared, just like your brother did with your nephew. Thanks for all the points you made. Even though I didn't agree with it all, I did gain some knowledge.

Diallo is not to blame. He is a Freshman in College. This is all based on what happened when he was in High School. The only responsibility that High School Students have is to get there rear ends to school, don't cheat on their assignments/homework, make decent grades, and be respectful to fellow students and faculty. Thats it, along with showing up and taking the PSAT or ACT Exam. It appears Cheick Diallo has done those things. He was selected as an High School All American and was allowed to participate in McDonalds All American and Jordan Brand Classic Games. As a matter of fact, there was not any issues until he decided to attend the University of Kansas. I am pretty sure that if he had chosen Duke, he would already have been cleared. Can't think off hand of anytime that Duke had an athlete on their mens basketball team with eligibility issues? Now a player on a "Home School" team is eligible before Diallo? You have got to be kidding? This is a bogus as bogus can get. We have grumpy old men getting paid 6 an 7 figures with the power to determine the fate of these young student athletes that they depend on to pay their salaries. This is quite sad.

More payback from the NCAA because of the Cliff situation. Just my opinion. They are still pissed that they couldn't punish us. That the reason we were placed in "That" Bracket last year. Oh well. Sooner or later they have to clear him. Again, just my opinion on a truly tired subject.

@Crimsonorblue22 I would not expect anything less!!

@Crimsonorblue22 Good Deal. I didn't watch it, so I wasn't impressed either!