Yesterday, Bill self sat down with the media to talk on a number of things, one of the less talked about quotes though was one when referring to past national champions
"I'll tell you this, teams that win now, I guarantee you they're going to have somebody on their roster that did something that they didn't expect them to do. You look at Connecticut last year, I mean. We were fighting for Nicolas Timberlake with Connecticut. And we get him, and they take a guy named Cam Spencer. You know it's, I mean, things like that happen all the time in our business, and a lot of it's good fortune, you know or misfortune...I just hope we get a little lucky.
In that quote, Self mentioned how once his squad went for (and eventually got Timberlake), allowing Connecticut to reel in Spencer. Spencer went on to average 14 points per game, on 48% shooting, en route to the Huskies' National Championship in 2024.
Now Self wasn't taking a shot at TImberlake, Self was trying to explain how teams in the portal sometimes get lucky. Self mentioned that Connecticut was vying for Timberlake before the Jayhawks were able to swoop in, which then allowed for Spencer to transfer to Dan Hurley's squad.
Which current incoming transfer could make the difference next season for Kansas? Well, really all three. When analyzing Jayden Dawson, Tre White and Melvin Council Jr., they all pose different threats.
The 6'4 guard Council has a smooth drive to the rim, and can stop to pull up well. Dawson is an electric three-point shooter who averaged just over 40% from beyond-the-arc last season, and White brings a wealth of experience with him as White has played for the University of Southern California, Louisville and Illinois.
"People can talk about...Well, they've been in so many different schools, this and that. The positive with that is that he has been coached in three different systems by three different guys, that has added to his IQ, and he's a ridiculously bright player. He's a good basketball player. He's been a very pleasant addition and surprise."
A player like Dawson, who can shoot the ball so fluently is likely to make the most impact on the scoresheet, but with the addition of the other two, there could be a number of games this season that White's experience pulls through, Council is able to draw easy points at the rim, and Dawson can let it fly from beyonf.