New CBS poll lists Kansas basketball near the top

Kansas basketball is ranked near the very top of the latest pre-season poll. In fact, two Kansas teams are included in the top five.

Polls and more polls. Fans love them and coaches put up with them. A new CBS very pre-season college basketball poll from Gary Parish includes Kansas basketball at number 2.

Bill Self’s 2017-18 team deserves the attention.

In spite of the loss of national player of the year Frank Mason and Josh Jackson, the Jayhawks are loaded.

First of all, Devonte Graham will lead this team. We’ve already seen some of the amazing things he can do. He is a born leader.

I loved the story told about Devonte’s freshman season.

The Jayhawks participated in a pre-season, team building activity with a military unit.

At the conclusion, one of the military spokesmen identified Graham as the team’s leader.

At the time, most of us didn’t know much about this young man from Raleigh, North Carolina. Forget the Oregon game. Devonte is a winner.

At the same time, former 5-star guard Malik Newman will help Devonte shoulder some of the scoring responsibility along with the very talented Lagerald Vick.

Not to mention, Newman should be ready to show some defensive ability too. He challenged Mason and Graham in practice the past 12-months.

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Last season, we got just a taste of Udoka Azubuike. It sounds like he is making a great recovery from the wrist injury and ready to rattle rims across the Big 12.

The newcomers should fit in very nicely to the returning 13-time defending Big 12 champs.

For one thing, I believe five-star freshman Billy Preston will collect a few conference newcomer of the week awards.

Not to mention, freshman Marcus Garrett, grad transfer Jack Whitman and transfer San Cunliffe are set to compete for playing time.

For this reason, I’m surprised Parish didn’t list Kansas basketball higher.

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