Kansas basketball’s defense could be one of the best next season

Last season, Kansas basketball has one of the top defenses in the nation. The same could hold true for the 2020-21 season.

Kansas basketball was ridiculous on the defensive end of the floor last season. Multiple Jayhawks received end of the season awards, and rightly so. Udoka Azubuike won the NABC Defensive Player of the Year award, Marcus Garrett won the Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year award as well as the Naismith Defensive Player of the Year award.

The Jayhawks were second in the nation defensively only behind Virginia, who had an 85.1 adjusted defensive efficiency compared to Kansas’ 85.5 according to KenPom.

Other players like Devon Dotson and Ochai Agbaji were solid on the defensive end too, but the Jayhawks will be losing Dotson and Azubuike next season. Despite that, Kansas basketball is set to be one of the best teams in the country again, especially when it comes to defense.

For starters, Marcus Garrett will be back and ready to strike fear into opposing point guards’ hearts. If there was one quote to describe Garrett, it’s what Self said after the Jayhawks’ road win against West Virginia last season: “[Garrett] was the best player in [the] game and didn’t score much.”

Garrett’s stat line for that game was nine points, seven rebounds, four assists, and five steals. His timely steals were a big part of the Jayhawks taking down the Mountaineers on the road.

In addition to having Garrett and Agbaji back, the Jayhawks will also be looking for increased roles from David McCormack and Christian Braun. Freshmen joining the Jayhawks could also make an impact, so look out for Tyon Grant-Foster as well as Bryce Thompson.

Based on who’s returning and who’s being added, the Jayhawks should be one of the best defensive teams in the nation next season. Considering that Kansas has some good talent on the offensive end too, the Jayhawks should have one of the best squads in all of college basketball.