Kansas basketball: Jalen Wilson’s NBA Draft declaration widens roster gap

Jalen Wilson has spent two seasons with Kansas basketball and only saw legitimate action this past season after redshirting early his freshman year.

Now, the sophomore is declaring for the NBA Draft while retaining his NCAA eligibility.

Wilson was one of Kansas’ stronger shooters this past season. However, he wasn’t as consistent of a weapon as some had hoped from the three-point line.

He averaged nearly 12 points per game by the end of the 2020-21 campaign and was 2 for 9 from the perimeter in his last 3 appearances.

Wilson’s decision to take his talents to the next tier raises a couple of questions.

First, his departure will open another spot to fill on this Jayhawks’ roster. While there have been some strong additions and a couple of solid prospects, it’s still going to be tough to move forward without Jalen.

Second, how will Jalen transition to the NBA? Plenty of college players have made the jump, but at Wilson’s age and the limited playing time he saw in the bottom half of the Jayhawks’ schedule, it wouldn’t surprise me if scouts get a little skeptical come draft time.

As a Kansas fan, I wish Jalen the best. It’s always special to see a Jayhawk move to the next level but it could be too soon. Wilson holds a lot of potential and could end up making a decent splash down the road in the NBA.

Remember, there’s a chance we’ll be seeing him back in the crimson and blue next season. Wilson has elected to retain his NCAA eligibility and considering how much time he has left at Kansas, it should be a strong option on his mind.