Kansas basketball competed in its first of three exhibition games on the long-awaited Puerto Rico trip. These are five takeaways from the Jayhawks debut.
Kansas Jayhawks fans were able to witness the 2023-24 squad in action for the first time yesterday afternoon when they took on the Puerto Rico Select Team. KU prevailed 106-71, led by a team-high 20 points from Arterio Morris and 19 points from KJ Adams.
Players are still trying to get a feel for things, especially newcomers who still are adjusting to living in Lawrence. Bill Self and his coaching staff will have a better idea of what the rotation will look like come November, but it was refreshing to see the ‘Hawks back in action and a sneak peek of what is to come.
You could argue that friendly matches like these mean nothing, but I’d beg to differ. At the very least, they give us a sense of who is game ready, who is not, and which lineups look the most cohesive. Without further adieu…
These are five takeaways from the first Kansas basketball exhibition game in Puerto Rico.
1. This team gelled far quicker than we could have imagined
For a team that’s only been practicing together for two months, they’ve come together awfully quickly. Everyone seemed to know their roles and where to be on the floor at all times. Coach Self wasn’t too impressed with the performance, as is the case most of the time, but I sure was.
Of course, if you put this current team against a cohesive unit in March who have spent an entire year together, the score would have been much different. But in college basketball, more than any league — especially with the amount of roster turnover — teams take time to develop.
2. KU will be able to push the pace as well as anyone
Having the privilege of watching fastbreak offense, high-flying guards, and constant alley-oops was a delight yesterday afternoon. I haven’t watched many KU teams with as many players who push the pace as this squad does, especially Elmarko Jackson, Arterio Morris, and KJ Adams.
The Jayhawks will always have Dajuan Harris to run sets and establish the tempo of the offense, but I like what the other guards are bringing to the table as well. Mixing those two types of players together will be KU’s yin and yang, and I’m all here for it.
3. There is no clear “best player” — yet
The offense wasn’t trying to force everything on Hunter Dickinson to get him every shot. In a way, I’m glad that he wasn’t KU’s best player last night. It shows me that other guys can step up when needed. Everybody contributed to the win, which is what makes a team thrive.
This isn’t to say that Dickinson, McCullar, or someone else won’t be the clear leader when the season starts. Two or three players usually emerge as the top guys by the time conference play arrives. However, it would be encouraging to see more games like this where nobody is a clear standout, and nobody played poorly — just an all-around good team effort.
4. KJ Adams has had a productive season
I recall writing an article on KJ talking about how he needed to extend his game to the perimeter. In retrospect, I was much too harsh on him — he more than exceeded expectations for a sophomore coming off a season where he averaged 1 point per game. Now, however, he happens to look much improved from last year.
He is no longer playing center, so he can space the floor more and have a more diverse role with the team. We saw him diving for loose balls, creating open shots for his teammates, and being the athletic freak he always has been.
KJ even hit a 3-pointer as the shot clock dwindled. Considering he has never hit a shot beyond the arc (0-for-4) during his time with Kansas basketball, we can expect his offensive game to expand tremendously in 2023-24.
5. Johnny Furphy will fit perfectly
Unfortunately, Furphy just signed his letter of intent to Kansas basketball yesterday, so he is not with the team in Puerto Rico. It remains to be seen if he will appear in either of the final two contests. But whether he travels or not, his energy and athleticism will fit perfectly for this roster.
The Australian phenom fits the mold of what this team is all about. A high-intensity run-and-gun offense with an abundance of tremendous athletes.