Kansas basketball: 3 players primed to level up in conference play

The Kansas Jayhawks are already the favorite to win the Big 12, but with slight improvements from these three players, they could become a sure-thing in one of the most loaded conferences in college basketball.

Kansas Jayhawks guard Elmarko Jackson (13)
Kansas Jayhawks guard Elmarko Jackson (13) | Jay Biggerstaff-USA TODAY Sports
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At 12-1, the Kansas Jayhawks are the No. 2 team in the country, but it may not be so easy for Bill Self to dominate the Big 12 this season. Sure, Kansas has had great competition in the Big 12 from Baylor, Iowa State, Texas, and others over the years, but the addition of Kelvin Sampson’s Houston Cougars has reshaped the conference. 

Even with dominant experience transfer in Kevin mcCullar Jr. and Hunter Dickinson alongside Dajuan Harris Jr. a championship point guard, the Jayhawks will need some internal improvement to provide their roster with enough depth to take the conference title again. 

The Jayhawks have won 21 Big 12 regular season titles dating back to 1996-97 and have won the conference tournament 12 times, but the conference is more loaded than ever this season. Meanwhile, Kansas’s roster lacks depth, especially on the wing. 

If these two wings do level-up into productive role players in the Big 12, then Kansas should be fine, but if not, it’ll be up to the third player on this list to carry the Jayhawks to and through March. 

Kansas kicks off the Big 12 slate on Saturday against TCU at Allen Fieldhouse. 

Schedule

Schedule