We’ve reached October, meaning that in just a few days, most college basketball programs will begin practice. Throughout the summer, we’ve taken a look at some of the top college teams for the 2014-15 season and will conclude the sneak peak of those teams here. As we move closer to the Nov. 14 season start date, we’ll begin to examine certain players, conferences and draft prospect for the college basketball season. For now, our last team look for the offseason.
So you’ve won 10 straight regular season conference championships, you’re consistently a national championship contender and one of the most feared teams in the country. However, you’ve just lost your point guard, your only real point guard on the team, and your two best players who wound up being two of the top three picks in the 2014 NBA Draft. What do you do?
If you’re Bill Self and you’re coaching the Kansas Jayhawks, your just keep plugging away and do what your do best.
This has been the formula for Kansas over the past decade. Nothing can seem to stop them from being a prominent team in the country and consistent threat to cut down in the nets in April. Self seems almost unbeatable. No matter who he loses to the NBA, he always reloads with talent, keeps most of his players from the previous season and continues on his merry way to another Big-12 championship.
Kansas’ formula has been imitated but never replicated. In one of the toughest conferences in the country, the Jayhawks have either won the Big-12 regular season title outright or tied for the title the last 10 years. The last time they did not claim at least a share of the title was in 2004 when Oklahoma State took the crown. Kansas finished tied for second. In fact, the last time Kansas did not finish in the top two of the Big-12 was during the 1999-2000 season, where they finished fifth.
Yes, the Jayhawks have been on a tear, but only have one national championship and two Final Fours to show for all these conference titles. They do have 19 NBA Draft picks in that time as well, but the overall success hasn’t translated with the conference success. At some point, something as to give.
Something does have to give this season. Kansas loses a lot this year, but they bring in enough talent to make them better than last season. While they do lose Andrew Wiggins and Joel Embiid to the NBA and Naadir Tharpe to the D-League (there were some photos involved with this decision), the Jayhawks bring in players that can help them become a more well-rounded team this season.
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As with most major college programs, it all starts with the freshmen. Perhaps the headline player from Kansas’ 2014 recruiting class is Cliff Alexander, a 6’8″, 240-pound forward. Alexander is one of the top NBA prospects for the 2015 draft, but he’ll head into this season expected to be the biggest piece to the puzzle for Kansas. He’s a physical player that likes to rebound, but his shooting range is a bit limited. That should develop over time.
Alongside Alexander is Kelly Oubre, a 6’7″ wing that likes to score. Combined, the two should present a solid 1-2 punch of youth and energy for the Jayhawks. Oubre can be the scorer while Alexander does the dirty work and fights for rebounds. Both will have to contribute in a big way to keep Kansas in the national spotlight.
While the freshmen are the headliners, Kansas does return some players from last year that could be the biggest pieces to their puzzle.
Perry Ellis had a pretty solid year last season, averaging 13.5 points and 6.7 rebounds per game. Ellis was actually the second best player on the team for most of the year before Embiid burst onto the scene. Ellis combines a physical presence in the paint, has nice footwork and a soft touch in his mid-range jumper. He’ll hit a three once in a while, but he’s not his specialty.
Wayne Selden is another returning player to keep an eye on. Selden averaged just less than 10 points per game and was second on the team with 2.5 assists per game. He’ll see his role expanded his year and will want to redeem himself after shooting 1-of-10 from the field in the two NCAA tournament games last season.
He and Ellis both could’ve gone off to the NBA but decided return for at least one more year. They’ll be the veterans on this young team.
Potentially filling out the starting five is another freshmen in point guard Devonte Graham. With Tharpe out of the equation and the lack of point guard play last season, the pressure may be on Graham the most to contribute immediately. While have three freshmen isn’t actually ideal for a national championship contender, it’s worked in the past and could easily work again.
After all, it’s the Jayhawks we’re talking about.
Even though there will be three freshmen (potentially) in the starting lineup, Kansas doesn’t have a lot of time for them to adjust. They open the season at home against UC-Santa Barbara on Nov. 14, but come back four days later and take on the Kentucky Wildcats, perhaps the deepest team in the country at every position this season. If they don’t figure it out quickly, they could be in for a long night on Nov. 18, and things don’t get much easier after that in the non-conference.
After the Kentucky contest comes the Orlando Classic, where a potential semi-final matchup against Tennessee and a championship game against Michigan State could await them. Tennessee could be a bit down this year with all their changeover form last season, but Michigan State is once again a threat to win the Big Ten and surprise people on a national level.
Kansas also has to deal with Florida, Georgetown and Utah in the month of December. None of those games are going to be cakewalks. Bill Self did a nice job to prepare a difficult non-conference schedule to ready his troops for conference battle.
Once the Jayhawks enter Big-12 play, it’s sure to be a never ending battle. They are the hunted, as they are accustomed to, and the conference as a whole is just as strong as it was last season. The top challengers right now are a revamped Texas squad, Oklahoma, Iowa State and Kansas State. However, Baylor and Oklahoma State could quietly sneak up in the standings throughout the year. Anything is possible in the Big-12. Expect madness.
Kansas has been dominant for 10 years in the conference, but it hasn’t quite translated to national dominance. They are always consistent and always good, but the national titles haven’t come their way. Winning one this year may be a bit of a stretch, but there’s just something about a Bill Self-led squad that makes you think they could come out of nowhere and win it all.
You never know. You just never know anymore.