5. Landen Lucas (Ranked No. 239 in Class of 2012)
Landen Lucas was your typical bruiser-type big man. He came into KU not expecting to be a prime-time player on the roster. Lucas was a low-end three-star who eventually became a consistent starter for the Jayhawks.
During his 125 games played at Kansas, he finished with 702 rebounds. He also won a Big 12 regular season title in all five years of his career at the school. During his five years at school, the Jayhawks went 147-35, including a 75-3 record in Allen Fieldhouse.
Lucas was well respected by his teammates and is still involved in the Jayhawk community today. Landen Lucas is a prime example of a player that Bill Self developed, as it is unlikely he would have played professional ball if not for the Hall of Fame head coach.
As a senior, he averaged 8.1 points and 8.3 rebounds per game. Nobody expected him to become as vital to the Jayhawks as he was. Lucas was the anchor of the defense and the X-factor of the mid 2010s Jayhawks squads.