Jayhawks transfer AJ Storr provides Kansas basketball with insane lineup flexibility

When AJ Storr entered the transfer portal, he was one of the most sought-after players available. This was for obvious reasons as he was a scoring machine for the Wisconsin Badgers in 2023-2024, averaging 16.8 PPG as a sophomore in the Big Ten Conference. Standing at 6-foot-7, Storr brings a ton of length, athleticism, and scoring ability, but perhaps his biggest asset is the positional versatility that he brings.

After Storr elected to join the Kansas Jayhawks, there were immediate conversations about how and where he would fit into the starting lineup. He is listed as a guard, but his natural position at the college level is likely the SF spot. With that being said, he also has the size and vigor to play small ball PF depending on the matchup and what Coach Bill Self wants to prioritize.

Currently the projected starting lineup for Kansas would be:

PG: Dajuan Harris
SG: Zeke Mayo
SF: AJ Storr
PF: KJ Adams
C: Hunter Dickinson

If Self does ever opt for lineup combinations that create better spacing and allow for more three-point shooting, he could also trot out the following look:

PG: Dajuan Harris
SG: Zeke Mayo or Labaron Philon
SF: Riley Kugel
PF: AJ Storr
C: Hunter Dickinson or Flory Bidunga

This is probably never going to be the starting lineup, due to Self’s unwavering belief in KJ Adams, who has started 68 games in the last two seasons. However, some Storr at PF lineups throughout the game should be in the crimson and blue bag of tricks if the offense ever gets stagnant. With him sliding to the PF spot, it opens up minutes for another wing, where the Jayhawks are oozing with depth. 

The biggest concern about these smaller lineups is typically rebounding, but in this scenario, it should be a non-issue. Storr and Adams are both the same height and have similar rebounding statistics. Last season, Adams averaged 4.6 rebounds per game in 33.4 minutes per game. Meanwhile, Storr averaged 3.9 rebounds per game in just 28.8 minutes per game. In these lineups, it would be Dickinson or Bidunga who would still be gobbling up the majority of the opponent’s missed looks.

Only time will tell if this lineup option ever gets implemented, but after the lack of depth and non-existent 3-point shooting from last season, Storr's versatility and scoring are a breath of fresh air.