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Kansas basketball: The case for Jalen Wilson and his contributions to the Jayhawks’ current starting five

By Conner Becker

Dec 5, 2020; Lawrence, Kansas, USA; Kansas Jayhawks forward Jalen Wilson (10) looks to pass during the game against the North Dakota State Bison at Allen Fieldhouse. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 5, 2020; Lawrence, Kansas, USA; Kansas Jayhawks forward Jalen Wilson (10) looks to pass during the game against the North Dakota State Bison at Allen Fieldhouse. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports /
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A resounding contributor to Kansas basketball’s high scoring offense has been sophomore guard Jalen Wilson, who has found a dynamic role off the bench.

Kansas basketball approaches their conference opener with Texas Tech on December 17th, and it should be a ‘no-brainer’ that the Red Raider’s will be locking down on defense. One particular concern will be handling talented sophomore Jalen Wilson, who has been a consistent playmaker for the Jayhawks.

Wilson has a reliable choice at guard for Kansas so far and has excelled in the expectations we had developed during boot camp. Wilson averages roughly 15 points per game for the Jayhawks and proving effective against tougher opponents where he has seen 20+ point games.

Defensively speaking, the sophomore has some promise. Jalen found a decent game against Creighton where he picked up 6 rebounds but didn’t find a steal off the Bluejays. Assuming he improves with time, I’d hope to see him grow into more of an aggressive defender.

Combining his speed with a stronger defensive presence could be a lethal weapon for the Jayhawks. Finding quick, switch, and go breakaways will help gain momentum during tight matchups.

Wilson’s engagement with this roster has been thorough so far. He is developing strong chemistry with upperclassmen in my opinion. Having him more comfortable with guys like Marcus Garrett and Ochai Agbaji will only give him more support on the floor.

The major takeaway for Jalen is his age. He has a lot of talent at his disposal and being young allows him to develop well over these next few years. If Wilson can continue to pull his weight on offense, he will become even more integrated with this starting five in the future.

Conference play will be an even brighter stage for Wilson. Kansas will have a lot of eyes on their program and it’s high scoring offense. The Jayhawks have averaged upwards of 65 points per game and we will need this statistic to hold true versus our tougher conference opponents.

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