@drgnslayr said in The Future of Jayhawk Basketball...:
I feel confident we are about to receive our 3rd big commit any day now and the timing fits my scenarioā¦ Iāll be shocked if we donāt sign at least 2 more blue chip prospects this fall. The goal is to prevent our starvation from guys in the portal so we can be more selective as we attempt to lift our talent level while maintaining some level of cohesiveness.
I'm sticking to my prediction and I'm "Mr. Jinx!" lol We are up to 3 now.
@wissox I know what you are saying... but how many D1 schools are keeping quality veteran teams around now?
This is exactly my point. I'm certain Self would like to keep a mostly-veteran team of talented players. I just see that possibility now fizzling out as the portal, NIL, and loose transfer rules make it hard to keep talent around for more than a year.
Look at our 2022 championship team... Braun, Agbaji, Wilson... McCormack (had a NBA shot, now in Europe). I'm not confident we can keep a team like that together long enough today. I think Self feels the same. And he also feels more comfortable with top shelf HS talent over portal guys that all bring in their experience, but it isn't KU/Self experience.
I feel confident we are about to receive our 3rd big commit any day now and the timing fits my scenario... I'll be shocked if we don't sign at least 2 more blue chip prospects this fall. The goal is to prevent our starvation from guys in the portal so we can be more selective as we attempt to lift our talent level while maintaining some level of cohesiveness.
What stimulated this direction for me was his moves in assistant coaches. I don't see us directing towards typical, old school, Self ball... which was directed towards emphasis on defense and a process that takes a player years to implement. Those days are over. He's been forced into a different strategy. We are being built to accept a strategy of heavy player turnover. I don't believe had bought into this strategy until very recently. It doesn't mean he won't try to hold on to some pieces every year... but he knows it's a new world for college basketball and so he is adapting to the new game.
I smiled when Kinney committed to Kansas. Meanwhile others are telling me to get ready for several highly-touted commits very soon.
Anyone else feel like Coach Self has committed himself... to a new direction for Kansas basketball? It feels like we are in the process of retooling our coaching staff and philosophy more towards high school top-tier talent. You know... the infamous OAD!
In the past, I was always critical of adding too many OAD players (or potential OADs). I was one of the guys who overused the term "revolving door" teams.
Today is a different day. With the transfer portal, NIL, and a key shift away from long-term commitments I believe I'm like Self and starting to embrace going after more OAD-type talent.
Why? Why not?
Look at last year. We had several OADs and none were NBA-draft lottery picks. And to be honest, it seems to have become easier now to recruit in players, either from high school or from the portal, to fill spots we need, especially as our financial situation sweetens now substantially because of large donors.
I may not be as involved in KU basketball as I used to, but I'm pretty sure I know one area of thinking Self has towards players. He has to go out and recruit new players every year and he also has to put heavy energy into recruiting players already on the team in the prior year.
Self is a "players' coach." And he is starting to learn that doesn't mean he can coddle players that aren't necessarily going to ever contribute in games. I think he's realizing the value in player turnover. Yes... you heard me say that!
"Self ball" is getting a rebrand! No longer will it be "old school" ball that takes years to embrace. If you don't believe me, you only have to look at his recent changes in assistant coaches. He's building a staff built around player turnover. Whether or not you agree with this approach, it is the reality we live in today. Without all the changes to the game, it is unlikely we would have made this move.
Next year will be the big roll out for the new brand of Kansas basketball and Bill Self's recreating himself (once again)! I haven't always agreed with all of Self's moves in basketball but I have always giving him credit for landing on his feet when change is needed. Change was needed after the last two years showed to us, clearly, we couldn't just build portal teams and expect "KU results."
Will Self stick around? Unless he suffers unexpected health consequences, I feel like he has committed at least 3 to 5 years to complete his newest brand of basketball!
And though I do not like the current direction of college sports... I am very excited about the direction he will take us in! RCJH, Coach Self!
Says he measured 6'3"... and that's before he gets the "KU inches!" lol
Guess he is already recruiting Stokes and others to join him.
He acknowledged Vaughn in his decision!
AI has been around for a while (as we think of it). Photoshop is an example. A couple clicks and you've completely manipulated a pile of pixels. And now, even Photoshop, can go further with tools like prompts. I've spent the last 3 days trying to train a video AI tool on what I want. In the end, it trained me on how to ask it. lol It's been a humbling experience. I first thought I was the boss....
@dylans That was exactly my opinion from the beginning... when AI was in it's infancy. But now it has grown into a toddler and becoming more useful. Beware... the terrible teens are coming! lol
There must be an AI tool out there somewhere that could compare players... crunch all their numbers and then weight factors of importance. I know... I know... I'm an AI sellout. I've just had a very successful business month where I dumped a huge load on the backs of my slave laborers... 3 AI platforms that saved me from doom!
@kjayhawks We don't have any legacy football teams left once OU and Texas left. We are now a certified blue collar league.
On 4th down I felt it came down to Lance feeling more faith in our defense over our offense. All Mizzou needed was like one first down to ice the game and they were already smelling victory, at home! If we were the Philadelphia Eagles, I might have trusted my defense in that scenario... actually... no I wouldn't. On offense, we needed 7 yards to keep the drive alive. One successful play and we are in the game to win. On defense... Mizzou would have had several downs to ice the game with another first down. This is math.
A few years back when we were one of the worst football teams in D1 we weren't highly critical towards the coaching. Now, fan expectation is to WIN GAMES! What comes with that is a more critical perspective on the coaching. I'm a big fan of Lance... still... he made a monster error in the late punt and has to be called out on it. If he keeps that mentality, to that degree, we will remain very limited on how many games we can win!
I'm super psyched up on this team. I'm certain more of you would be if you saw them practice. The athleticism alone is going to shock you. I know we will have plenty of tests this year before March... especially teams like Houston. But I like our chances on preconference games because even though we are a team of new players, they will start off ahead of many other teams. The questions down the road will be about injuries and if we can continue to develop at a rapid pace to keep up with the competition.
I was screaming at the tv on that stupid punt. Mizzou was moving the ball with ease and giving it back to them was the end. And what a message he sends to his offense... he doesn't trust their execution on big plays. @Texas-Hawk-10 called it right... indefensible!
@Texas-Hawk-10 said in KU Roster for 25-26:
On paper, I love the roster composition this season so much more than the last 2 years and I think as long as Selfās health holds up, I believe this team has a legitimate chance at making a Final Four this year. On paper, this could become one of the best defensive teams Self has ever had. Every player brought in thatās expected to play big minutes has a reputation of being above average to elite on defense.
My thoughts exactly!
Hunter was a unique player and I don't think his game worked well for any team out there. He had skill with his repetitive offense... but he moved like a slug out there. Plus... he played soft. When we needed our guys to really buckle down against the better teams he wasn't bringing that extra energy. We've usually had bigs with less offensive moves but they would get pushed to turn up their intensity when we needed it. Big Mac.. TRob, etc... even Landen Lucas brought extra juice when we needed it.
@Jhawk69 Good assessment! I have to add... which Juan? I thought last year's Juan was bad. I didn't like the way he ran the offense. He rarely actually created offense himself like he used to by having plays with one other teammate to score. He was recognized for his defense in past years but he wasn't outstanding at D last year and was often a liability. I'm complaining... but I still liked Juan tremendously.
The biggest problem with last year's team on offense... every player (except Mayo) we had was one-dimensional. KJ, the year before last year, started to nail down midrange shots and floaters. That was gone and teams dared him to shoot those last year. Hunter was the closest thing to a 2-dimensional threat with his long ball, but failed and then teams learned to just get a hand up from trey. Rylan... only required a little outside D to shut him down. Juan... refused to attack.
I think we will have a lot more multiple-dimensionality. Just having a guy like DP to carve up defenses is a huge start.
I am hopeful for a team very improved over last year's team. First, we will immediately experience a team with a lot more athleticism. That doesn't always translate into victories, but I look back on last year's team and how Harris and Dickinson looked anemic (along with defensive anemia from Storr, Mayo, and Griffen). I think DP will be the key and it is my opinion he is figuring out how to make other players better. Flory will be a beast, especially since his minutes won't just be an afterthought. Part of our offense will be building offense around Flory. All his attention will just light him on fire with enthusiasm. My only worries are foul trouble, though he will have more weakside and on-ball defense support this year.
We are due for a good "chip year!" No more lofty, silly preseason #1 ranking!
Soā¦. Iāve learned patience. I donāt have to watch games live. Iāve trained all the people around me to stop with spoiler alerts. Iām thinking I watch games after on YouTube. Even when I have live games I usually delay to cut commercials. Will I be impacted by all this gouging?
Two Thumbs up!
I donāt remember a single soul in here predicting a natty just ahead of the 2022 season. Play the game and enjoy the show! RCJH!
Itās a long season. Once we start play we get an early gauge, then it becomes the real test as the season progresses and we find out if they can continue to improve at a rate equal or better than the pack. This is where the joy came into focus with our last championship team as they stepped up big time towards the end. Other teams fall off often from injuries or players showing too much wear. I havenāt had much of a view of our new team but my early impression is positive on physicality and overall depth, holding promise of not wearing down as long as we avoid injuries.
I just returned to the states from a 3 week holiday. Flipped on YouTube and caught Andy Katz āThe Sidelineā and a 5-day old interview with Bill. I highly advise everyone catch this for a great update on Jayhawk basketball and also get a glimpse of Self right before he went down. He seemed very vibrant to me. Same with the the official KU pressie he gave at the same time. Bill had a sunburn! š
@SlimShaddy54 absolutely correct!
People... stents are common. I know many who have them for more than a decade.
This procedure is common with men his age. Iām not jumping on the bandwagon his days are much shorter at the helm now.
I found this read interesting. It centers around B12 football but surely has implications for basketball, too. It seems that schools like TT have adopted quickly using their big dollars on front loading. Also interesting how HS NIL is growing.
Just a feeling and I donāt want to jinx anything with a detailed prediction.
Iām holding on to a thought that Self has one more trick up his sleeve for that final scholie and it might be the key to our season success!
Iām curious what this does to the world of college agency. Might this finally put an end to less-than-professional agency representation still present in college sports?
Is Lexi now our first GM?
And Self is waste deep in 2026 recruitingā¦ doesnāt show signs of him walking out the door. Maybe all the recent skepticism is fueling him. Might he have a recruiting chip on his shoulder? Itās been ages since I preached chip!! š¤£š¤£š¤£
@wissox said in The portal.:
If I could get paid for each of the comments on this threadā¦Wondering if itās safe to shut er down now? Is Bill done? Roster is set?
I don't believe we are done. I'll be surprised if we don't use that last scholarship. Seems like we have our immediate needs addressed now. Maybe its time for Self to pull an ace from his sleeve and land someone who can offer additional flexibility in a lineup... like a 6'8" PF capable from the perimeter with handles and defense. A guy who could play 3-5 position. Maybe we sit on an Int'l prospect who has to get legals in order because we aren't really at a loss if we don't fill that scholie.
Iām happy about this addition and feeling very positive on the team potential. We should have a more athletic team than the past years and possess solid defensive capabilities. For those worried about heightā¦ Iād rather have athleticism and long wing spans. Should be a very difficult team to beat anytime we bring energy!
@drgnslayr said in The portal.:
<a href="/user/approxinfinity" class="mention">@approxinfinity</a> said in The portal.:
I donāt think NIL has destroyed college sports either. This will take an adjustment period and trial-and-error rule changes to make things smoother.
Until there are multiple year commitments it will be unstable and not super enjoyable for this fans particular taste. Time will tell.
I'm not so sure legislating that within the NCAA framework will hold up in federal court. I feel like college basketball will more likely mimic pro ball with player contracts that specify years and amounts. Even that would require major changes.
@approxinfinity said in The portal.:
Are we getting closer to imposing harder transfer rules now that universities can pay athletes directly and there is a clearer contractual legal path? I dont think NIL destroyed college sports, it just pulled the curtain back. Now we have to align what the schools and fans want with what the athletes want. Time to make the fans happy and lock kids into multiyear contracts.
I don't think NIL has destroyed college sports either. This will take an adjustment period and trial-and-error rule changes to make things smoother.
We were all living an illusion before that college athletes would pick schools strictly by being fans of that school. I am sure that money is the biggest or one of the biggest factors now for players, so why shouldn't it be? Money incentives drives most employment situations.
It will take us years to uncondition all of us to start treating athletes like people in other work places.
@dylans said in The portal.:
@drgnslayr said in The portal.:
@SlimShaddy54 I worry about visas for Intāl players. Our current federal government is a mess.
Wrong thread. The politics section is wide open for comments.
Sorry about that. I definitely didn't want to inject politics in here. But in this particular case, there are issues happening with foreign student visas.
@SlimShaddy54 I worry about visas for Int'l players. Our current federal government is a mess. I'm pretty sure if Bill gets a shot at a USA big he'll sign him.
He reminds me of Bill Russell when heās 2-ft from the basket. š¤£. But seriouslyā¦ he would fulfill one of our needs. Love his athleticism. Solid for ball screens, rebounding, defense, maybe even top of the key defense.
Yepā¦ My wording was a little strong on the use of āstupidāā¦ I apologize. And even under the heat I didnāt mean that directed personallyā¦ but to an idea. Again, sorry to everyone in here.
Iām not an expert in this area but I havenāt forgotten how this all went down originally and harnessing every aspect of NIL will be unlikely because it starts infringing on rights then ends up back in court.
I know I keep mentioning Dukeā¦ I have Duke grads close by and they let me know how Duke is on a real mission to dominate and are doing it by getting out ahead of the changing landscape. Of course, that leads me into hypertension!
So the good news is we managed to divert our thoughts away (a little bit) from recruiting. And on that, some of the people in my circle dropped a heavy on me by stating the recent KU recruiting failures werenāt based on KU coming up short on NIL funds. Then my blood pressure shot up again! Lol
BTW - we are only viewing this like a traditional celebrity-style endorsement contract. Where the real money is ā¦. Far above the NIL abilities of KU is the support of Kansas alumni owning valuable companies who are huge fans of the basketball program. These people are spread all over the world. There are opportunities to connect these people with players in the role of sponsorship but itās essential a gift but structured as a business tax write-off. This alone is an endless resource and though they are hit up for endowment contributions hitting them up directly for basketball contributions and more personal, directly helping one specific player is an opportunity for raising about any amount possible. To my understanding, Duke is all over this.
Before you commentā¦ Iām not describing an AD fundraiser. Iāve attended those lunches. And every month Iām hit up by endowments. But no one has contacted me specifically on behalf of a player. Granted, these times are only developing now, as universities will be capped on NIL and the big avenue for extending benefits beyond this limitation will be private NIL.
@Texas-Hawk-10 I knew the Freddy's management and it carried at least throughout Kansas. It was more lucrative than $25k.
I never indicated there would be a huge sponsor matching KU's contribution. If it was someone's 365-day job to locate sponsors there would be many deals that would add up considerably... doubtful to match KU funds, but still a consideration for athletes.
I've had a lifetime of sales and just the people and industries I'm associated could make their most notable athletes pretty good spending money and nothing to sneeze at. My own business is national and not much in the midwest or I would be a sponsor of one or more athletes.
To say finding NIL deals in this area isn't worth considering is absolutely stupid.
@Texas-Hawk-10 Flory received sponsorship from Freddy's. It was NOT from KU.
Flory wasn't much last year and he did a sweet deal. Don't pretend to know it all.
There is some valid points there. But I guess you know a lot more than Freddy's marketing.
KU basketball is the only winning basketball in the KC area and, once again, we scored the best player in the KC area. Royals and Chiefs are great but no basketball fans in KC? KC is a big fan base for college sportsā¦ a major reason why they own the B12 basketball tournament.
Hell... how about selling KU to Lawrence businesses?
I guess why Iām frustrated is because I come from the business world. KU AD comes from education/not-for-profit perspective. It seems like such a no-brainer to me that KU leaves a fortune on the table by not fully utilizing the marketing potential of the athletes. We LOVE our guys! When I see an ad with a player I donāt change the channel. And I think more favorable towards the sponsor. I feel positive every starter on our team would make at least a cool million every year through private endorsements. Perhaps two or three times that amount. I feel certain it would help relieve some of the financial pressure on the AD.
@approxinfinity I donāt think we have anyone doing this. I could go out everyday speaking to businesses that have an advertising budget and would be happy to have a ball player in ads.
I could be wrongā¦ but hasnāt Self scored late American players that had something go wrong with their committed team before? Didnāt that happen with Frank Mason?
I could go out and sell KU players to KC businesses all day long for NIL... $3 million? No problem.
Seriouslyā¦ we need someone who can sell NIL deals to businesses in KC and Kansas. We will never keep up with east coast money.