Kansas basketball: 5 things we learned about the Jayhawks during their exhibition games
We got to see Kansas basketball in action this week for the first time since their Puerto Rico trip. These are five things we learned about the Jayhawks during their two scrimmages.
The No. 1 Kansas Jayhawks received much more preseason experience than the majority of teams in the country. They traveled to Puerto Rico over the summer to play three exhibition games, even competing against NBA talents such as Buddy Hield and Eric Gordon.
Bill Self’s group recently played a set of scrimmages against No. 25 Illinois and Fort Hays State. They lost 82-75 and won 73-55, respectively, though they didn’t look too impressive in either contest.
KU’s regular season begins on Nov. 6 against Manhattan, just two days from now. There are several underlying questions about this year’s roster, but some of them were answered in the past week. We put together a list of five things Kansas basketball fans developed an understanding of while the Jayhawks played in their exhibitions.
No. 1 Thing We Learned About Kansas Basketball: It will take time for this team to gel together
Kansas basketball had some of the most roster turnover in the Big 12 and the entire country. The only players to return from last year’s team were Kevin McCullar, Dajuan Harris, KJ Adams, and Zach Clemence, who is expected to redshirt. Therefore, it should come as no surprise that the team is going through some rough patches.
Hunter Dickinson is one of the most talented big men Bill Self has ever coached, but he is also the focal point for opposing defenses. He draws double teams and is often swarmed when trying to get position in the post. His supporting cast must learn to get the ball to him, and then we can worry about the performances of other players. This roster will only go as far as Hunter can take it.
It’s also worth mentioning that Johnny Furphy arrived on campus less than three months ago, and the coaches were under the impression that Chris Johnson and Marcus Adams Jr. would play a role on this year’s team before they departed from the program.
During the team’s two scrimmages, we only witnessed the simplest of Coach Self’s sets. The Jayhawks were running the pick-and-roll nearly every play. As the season progresses and the team learns what works best for them, they should become a force to be reckoned with in the Big 12.