Kansas basketball needs a change. No, they don’t need to fire Bill Self or revamp its roster. Well, maybe they need to fire the old Bill Self.
They need to get rid of the guy who refuses to acknowledge his best players and constantly tries to force feed the ball into the post and have his wings stand around on the perimeter. It’s not working this year. They need the new Bill Self to emerge during Big 12 play.
More from Hoops Habit
- The 5 most dominant NBA players who never won a championship
- 7 Players the Miami Heat might replace Herro with by the trade deadline
- Meet Cooper Flagg: The best American prospect since LeBron James
- Are the Miami Heat laying the groundwork for their next super team?
- Sophomore Jump: 5 second-year NBA players bound to breakout
Now I know how ridiculous it sounds to talk down about a coach who won 10 straight conference titles. But, this is a different Kansas team. Quick, close your eyes and think about the Jayhawks. Do any players come to mind from this roster?
If someone does emerge, it’s most likely a guard. Whether it’s Frank Mason, Wayne Selden or Kelly Oubre, those are the three likely candidates you think of when Kansas basketball is addressed. What’s also thought of is the awful offensive strategy Self employs for the Jayhawks.
Self uses a high-low motion offense that’s main dedication is getting the ball to the post players. That’s why players like Thomas Robinson, Perry Ellis and Joel Embiid have thrived playing at Kansas. On the flip side it requires your athletic wings and guards to stand around the perimeter hoping to get a swing pass if an opponent is doubling in the post.
The other twist in the offense from watching the Jayhawks play is the opposing big man crashes the opposite side when the ball is entered from the same side wing. That leaves those guards straddling the 3-point line waiting for a kick, which is good for usually one player on the roster each season. This season that player is Frank Mason, who is shooting 51 percent from deep.
The fact of the matter is, Kansas can’t win the Big 12 playing this way. Sure, they have an 11-2 record, but they are struggling on the offensive side of the ball. They currently rank 110th in the country in points per game with 71.2, 164th in the country in assists with 13.1 and 227th in the country in field goal percentage, shooting a putrid 42.6 percent from the field per game.
Playing in the toughest conference in basketball, these stats won’t translate to wins. TeamRankings.com has Kansas as the 56th–most efficient offensive team in the country, behind the likes of Louisiana Tech, Idaho, Valparaiso and Portland. Meanwhile KenPom has the Jayhawks as 17th in the country with adjusted offensive rating, but the third luckiest team in the country.
Again, stats that show this offense won’t translate in the Big 12 this season.
Finally, take a look at the roster Kansas has this season. It’s clear the best players are the wings, specifically Kelly Oubre. Since Self started playing Oubre more than six minutes a game starting against Georgetown, the freshman from Texas has responded by averaging 13.3 points per game and seven rebounds, including two double-doubles.
Oubre is a decent shooter, but the best part of his game is slashing to the rim and pushing the tempo. He has a wingspan of more than 7’1” which allows him to finish in the paint and attack missed shots, whether it’s his own shot or a teammates.
Self needs to start realizing this and move away from the hi-lo offense and into a four-out, one-in type offense, giving his guards and wings more room to slash and find the open man.