Kansas basketball: How different will KJ Adams’ role be next season?

The addition of Michigan transfer Hunter Dickinson means KJ Adams will have an entirely different role with Kansas basketball in 2023-24.

Despite posting a 1-point-per-game average when he won a national championship as a freshman, KJ Adams was a vital contributor for the Kansas Jayhawks last year. He beat out several players to win the starting center spot and never looked back, averaging 10.6 points, 4.3 rebounds, and 1.9 assists.

Adams is not a true center, standing at 6-foot-7, 225 pounds. He’s more of an athletic 4 who can jump out of the gym and guard several positions. However, KU’s big man alternatives last year — Zach Clemence, Ernest Udeh Jr., and Zuby Ejiofor— were not appealing enough for head coach Bill Self. None of those three surpassed 17 minutes in a single game.

Not only was Adams not the tallest player on the team, but even Gradey Dick (6-foot-8), the shooting guard, had an inch on KJ. Now that Kansas reeled in 7-foot superstar Hunter Dickinson from the transfer portal, Adams’ role will be vastly different from what we saw him do a year ago. He will no longer be forced into being the center and can roam more freely outside the paint.

A frontcourt of Adams and Kevin McCullar supplies a plethora of defensive versatility. KJ will guard wings, centers, and even guards if he gets switched onto them. One thing that Adams was terrific at when playing the 5 was slowing down opposing centers with his athleticism. He might have to guard big men on some possessions to take the load off of Dickinson in order to let him focus on scoring the ball.

Kansas lacks depth at the center position, so it is not out of the question for Adams to see time there again this year. Parker Braun is the only backup big holding a spot on the roster. KJ can alternate between different positions on the floor.

KJ’s offensive opportunities might be limited when Dickinson is on the court. However, that also means that less of the attention will be shifted onto him, and he will have several chances per game to catch an alley-oop when the defense is sleeping or cut to the basket for an easy dunk.

Going into the season, one of the biggest questions is how much Adams’ offensive game will improve. Can he become a consistent jump shooter from 15 feet out? Can he become a better scorer in one-on-one post-up situations? Can Coach Self rely on him to hit a corner three if needed? All these questions should be answered this season, but Kansas will be unbeatable if Adams extends his game to the perimeter.

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