Hunter Dickinson refutes defensive criticism with compelling stats

While the Kansas basketball team has clear limitations on the offensive end, the Jayhawks have been one of the toughest defenses in the country to score on. Through 17 games, Bill Self's squad ranks fourth nationally with a defensive rating of 89.8. That would be the highest since KU's highly acclaimed 2019-20 group that never got a chance to compete for a championship.

Multiple Kansas role players are constantly praised for their defensive efforts, specifically KJ Adams, Dajuan Harris, and even newcomers Shakeel Moore and Flory Bidunga. But among all of the Jayhawks on the roster, fans have assessed Hunter Dickinson's defense more critically than anyone else. The general consensus is that he is a cone inside and outside the paint. Do these numbers from Evan Miyakawa prove the doubters wrong?

Hunter Dickinson shuts down his critics on social media

Dickinson has a message for his haters. According to the tweet he references, every one of the five collegiate teams he has played for has given up fewer points with him on the field than without him.

Of course, there is more that goes into these numbers than Dickinson's presence on the floor. Considering he has started all but five games in the NCAA, he normally shares the floor with other starters who are likely more capable on the defensive end.

While Dickinson has shown improvements on the defensive end since arriving at KU, he shouldn't be exempt from criticism. His limitations have been particularly evident in the pick-and-roll game. Since he is not a switchable defender, Bill Self plays him in drop coverage, often leading to open 3-pointers. Gonzaga used that to its advantage in the Jayhawks' season-ending tournament loss last year.

This season, Dickinson has frequently shared the court with freshman big man Flory Bidunga, giving him some much-needed freedom in the paint. He may not be the most polished defender, but his scoring ability (15.8 PPG) more than justifies keeping him on the floor.