Kansas basketball: Reflecting on Marcus Garrett’s best college moments

Kansas basketball bid farewell to Marcus Garrett after the 2020-21 season, and with the NBA Draft quickly approaching, it’s time to reflect on some of the talented point guard’s best moments as a Jayhawk.

Joining the roster as a freshman in 2016, Garrett would climb his way onto the starting five. He would earn Defensive Player of the Year during his junior year, and stuck around for his senior season, supporting Kansas through their second-round loss to USC.

There was some speculation of a possible return for his extra year of eligibility, however, it appears Garrett is ready to make the jump to the professional stage.

Opting to immerse himself in the draft, fans won’t be seeing Garrett dawn the Kansas threads again, but there’s plenty of memories to go around.

February 24, 2018, vs. Texas Tech

During his freshman season, Garrett was beginning to scratch the surface, finding a couple of buckets per game and showing a couple of flashes here or there.

One of his best, however, comes against a road trip against Texas Tech. The 74-72 win would be complemented by a late one-hand jam heading into halftime. Perhaps one of his earliest signs of confidence inside, Garrett was flying on this one.

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The fashionable slam came during Kansas’ final pair of matchups before the conference tourney.

Garrett found some postseason action in both the Big 12 conference tourney and the NCAA Tournament. Despite a painful Final Four loss to Villanova, Garrett would find a pair of baskets during one of the most satisfying wins over Duke in Kansas basketball history.

Jan. 9, 2021, vs. Oklahoma

Before a three-game losing stint, Kansas would score a 63-59 home win against Oklahoma.

Garrett would support the Jayhawks defensively, finding 3 def. rebounds, a pair of steals, and a block. Along with his defense, he would find a few buckets along the way.

This would include a smooth bucket, passing Kur Kuath to finish the job.

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Having that kind of versatility attracts NBA scouts, especially when you can transition from a defensive rhythm. Being a player who can make a quick spark, while being reliable enough to trust inside is a win-win.

Feb. 1, 2020, vs. Texas Tech

2020 was a tough year for Jayhawk fans. They saw a national title-contending team stripped of the opportunity to make a splash in March.

In a tight home matchup against the Red Raiders, Garrett would post 15 points, 3 blocks, and a steal, helping the Jayhawks secure their sixth straight win to kick off a successful February.

This is a crunch-time play that has Kansas protecting the rim at all costs. Having Garrett denying any access to the rim was a major perk when looking to close out the night.

Garrett’s defense shouldn’t be taken lightly, it’s what made him a valuable asset at Kansas. When at the top of his game, he becomes a real issue for opposing offenses. Adding that kind of support should be a no-brainer for NBA franchises looking to keep out trouble.

Looking ahead to the upcoming NBA Draft, Marcus Garrett has been projected to go 52nd overall to the Detroit Pistons, according to NBADraft.net. Whether or not this prediction will be true, it’s a good reference point for where he’ll be taken in the draft.

The Pistons are also projected to take USC power forward/center, Evan Mobley, with their second overall pick. Kansas had a run-in with Mobley in the second round of the NCAA Tournament this past season, and adding both Garrett and the former Trojan could be quite the combination.