Kansas basketball: Marcus Garrett a top five returner in college hoops

Kansas basketball senior Marcus Garrett was named a top-five returner for the 2020-21 college basketball season by Andy Katz.

Marcus Garrett has been one of the most important Jayhawks during his time at Kansas. His ability to lock down other teams’ stars is second to none, and his excellent defense was recognized last season when he received the Naismith Defensive Player of the Year Award. Next season, he should be able to help Kansas basketball compete for their second Big 12 title in a row.

As a matter of fact, Andy Katz ranked Garrett No. 5 in his top returning players for 2020-2021. Katz made sure to touch on Garrett’s stellar defense, but he also made a point about the fact that his role on offense should be more than it was last season due to the departure of Devon Dotson.

Last season, Garrett put up 9.2 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 4.6 assists per game. He actually led the Jayhawks in assists despite only averaging 1.7 turnovers per game. He was good, not great on the offensive end. Like Katz said though, Garrett could share in more offensive responsibility and it’s exciting to think about just how good he can be.

Considering his strong defense, if Garrett increased his points per game average to 13 or 14, he should be a First-Team All-Big 12 member and maybe even an All-American.

He’ll likely be sharing the backcourt with incoming five-star combo guard Bryce Thompson next season, and the two of them should be an effective pair. Garrett is also good at making post-entry passes, which is good news for David McCormack and Mitch Lightfoot.

One thing’s for sure: Marcus Garrett is going to be one of the most valuable players in not only the Big 12 but the entire country. He could have been ranked even higher on Katz’s list honestly, but he certainly deserved his top five spot.