Kansas' pursuit of high-level scorer may have hit roadblock

Now that Tyran Stokes is officially a member of the Kansas Jayhawks, Bill Self can now focus on continuing to improve an offense that finished No. 161st in the nation last year, averaging just 75.1 points per game. 

While Stokes will be a boon in both the scoring and playmaking departments, he needs help. Last season can be used as a cautionary tale as Darryn Peterson was brought in as a player who could both open up the court for others and knock down valuable shots. But from minute one, Peterson was primarily used as a scorer and was never able to get into a playmaking rhythm. 

In order to ensure that doesn’t happen again, Kansas has to bring in multiple scorers to stop defenses from focusing all of their attention on stopping Stokes. 

This is where Kansas State transfer Abdi Bashir Jr. comes in

Bashir offers a stellar three-point shot

Last season saw the 6-foot-7 Bashir knock down 44.4% of his three-point shots, which included a season-high of 26 points against Nebraska in Kansas State’s narrow 86-85 loss. 

Bashir averaged 13.2 points on 42.1% from the field, 2.2 rebounds and 2.3 assists before an injury sidelined him, leading to a season-ending surgery with 14 games to play. 

The Jayhawks hosted the guard on Wednesday via Zoom. 

Last season, Kansas shot an average of just 34.62% from beyond the arc, a mark that put KU in No. 152nd nationally. 

Bashir visits with NC State

Minutes ago, Sam Kayser of Kayser Hoops reported that Bashir was visiting North Carolina State via Zoom. 

While it is not the end-all be-all if Bashir takes visits elsewhere, it does continue to leave questions over how KU’s backcourt will set up next season. 

So far, Kansas has enlisted the likes of five-star guard incoming freshman Taylen Kinney, and four-star transfer Leroy Blyden Jr. The problem is, both Blyden and Kinney are listed at 6-foot-1, meaning the two will create a relatively small pair, assuming Kinney is at the one and Blyden is at the two. 

Just for comparison, last season Melvin Council Jr. stood at 6-foot-4 and Darryn Peterson at 6-foot-6, so adding someone like Bashir, who offers height versatility, could go a long way. 

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