To say Kansas center David McCormack’s senior year has been up and down would be an understatement.
At times, he’s looked like the best player on the floor. Other times, he’s looked like a freshman who is still finding his way.
It’s not often a player regresses from junior to senior year, but that’s what has happened so far with McCormack in terms of scoring.
A year ago, he averaged 13.4 points and 6.1 rebounds per game – which earned him Second Team All-Big 12 honors and the Big 12’s Most Improved Player award.
Thus far this season, he’s maintained that same rebounding average (6.1) but has averaged just 9 points per game. His free throw percentage is also down from 79.6% last year to 61.7% this year.
But thanks to head coach Bill Self’s master motivation skills, David McCormack finally performed like the preseason All-Big 12 player he was expected to be against Oklahoma State on Tuesday night.
Self started Mitch Lightfoot in place of McCormack for the first time this year, and coincidentally – or perhaps not – McCormack had his best game of the year.
He scored a season-high 17 points while going 7-of-13 from the field. He was also 3-for-3 from the free throw line and contributed 15 rebounds – also a season high.
Self’s decision to remove McCormack from the starting lineup and his performance against the Cowboys could be the catalyst for this season.
KU needs this version of David McCormack if they hope to win the Big 12 and ultimately reach their national championship expectations. Over his career, the Jayhawks are 33-6 when he scores 10 or more points per game.
Kansas is 33-6 over the past four years when David McCormack scores in double figures. McCormack had 17 and 15 last night at Oklahoma State. Can you say X-Factor?
— Jon Rothstein (@JonRothstein) January 5, 2022
Yes, they have talent across the roster, from the starting lineup to the bench players. Ochai Agbaji might be an All-American and Christian Braun could be the Big 12’s most improved player. KJ Adams and Zach Clemence were top 100 recruits and Jalen Coleman-Lands is one of the most experienced and best-shooting guards in all of college basketball. And Remy Martin can take over a game at any moment.
But you can’t win the national championship without having a solid post presence, and up until Tuesday night, KU was missing that.
If this is the David McCormack we are going to see more consistently for the rest of the season, then KU’s title hopes are alive and well.
The best is yet to come for this guy 👊@D_Mack33 x #KUbball pic.twitter.com/S3kfFf0R6b
— Kansas Men’s Basketball (@KUHoops) January 6, 2022