At the University of Kansas, expectations for the men’s basketball program are second to none. Fans, donors, media, and college basketball fans everywhere expect the Jayhawks to be one of the premier teams in the country year in and year out.
But so far during the 2024-25 season, this team has failed to live up to the lofty expectations that were set when the year began.
The Jayhawks entered the college basketball season as the No. 1 team in the country for the second year in a row. The reasons for that were obvious: They had a trio of experienced senior starters returning, the staff assembled arguably the best transfer class in the country, they added one of the top incoming freshmen, and they have Bill Self – college basketball’s most accomplished head coach still active in the sport today.
However, despite having a roster that looks like a national championship contender, the Jayhawks have been unable to get the most out of their talented pieces.
By the numbers
KU’s star center Hunter Dickinson averages a double-double (15.2 points and 10.4 rebounds), but his lack of athleticism, defense – and sometimes effort – limits what KU is able to do on both sides of the floor. He has a good touch around the basket offensively, but even that part of his game isn’t always consistent.
A player that doesn’t lack athleticism, but does lack offensive touch, is KJ Adams Jr.
He is one of those beloved players by Self because of his tenacity and toughness, which is why he averages the third-most minutes (28.7) on the team behind Dajuan Harris Jr. and Zeke Mayo. But offensively, Adams seems to have regressed compared to last season.
Last year, Adams averaged 12.6 points while shooting 60.1% from the field. This year, he averages just 8.2 points on 50% shooting.
Opposing teams have started to take notice on defense by daring Adams to shoot open jump shots while they double Dickinson down low. That causes spacing issues for the Jayhawks and an inability to run an efficient offense.
Meanwhile, Dajuan Harris Jr. is the same player he’s been his whole career. He’s a good on-ball defender, an above-average passer, but his scoring ability continues to be limited.
KU thought they’d have help in the scoring department from two of their top transfers in Rylan Griffen and AJ Storr, but both have come off the bench for most of the season in limited minutes and have been unable to make nearly the impact that was expected.
Griffen averages less than 19 minutes per game, while Storr averages less than 18 minutes. Both players’ scoring numbers are way down from last season, and that is part of the reason why KU is currently No. 161 in the nation in scoring offense and No. 225 in three-point percentage.
Mayo has been one of the bright spots this season, averaging 19 points per game the last month, but he’s had little help on offense except for Dickinson and he remains the team’s only semi-reliable outside scoring threat.
Finding the right combination
Looking beyond the stat sheet, it’s clear that Self has been unable to find the right rotation to maximize the talent on this Kansas roster.
The current starting five features only two players capable of being real scorers: Dickinson and Mayo. When you have three players who are as limited offensively as Harris, Adams and Moore, it makes it really difficult to compete – especially in this day and age of college basketball where scoring and shooting is at a premium.
Self is not getting the production he needs from his seniors, yet he doesn’t seem willing to significantly sacrifice their minutes to see what a rotation might look with players on his bench.
Players like Griffen and Storr are never in the game long enough to get into a rhythm, and they’re often pulled immediately after making a single mistake. It’s understandable to see why they haven’t become comfortable in this system.
Freshman Flory Bidunga has shown flashes of his greatness and offers a greater defensive presence than Dickinson or Adams, but he’s too raw to command the amount of playing time that KU would need to ultimately be successful – not to mention, he tends to get in foul trouble.
Shakeel Moore is a good defender and has been a spark on that end recently for the Jayhawks, but he provides little else to make an impact, and Diggy Coit is not the answer either.
It’s not abnormal for a Bill Self team to not look their best in early January, and he’s proven time and time again the ability to shape a rotation in time for the postseason. But if he can’t solve the puzzle facing him with this year’s roster, KU could be looking at another early exit come March.