Kansas basketball has built a reputation for developing players who are three and four-year program guys who become the face of the program. Those days appear to be winding down, and we could be looking at the end of that era next year when KJ Adams and Dajuan Harris exhaust their eligibility.
Going into the season, only four returning players were coming back. KJ and Dajuan never wavered in their return. Zach Clemence hit the transfer portal and eventually realized the grass wasn't greener on the other side, working his way back to stay at KU to take a redshirt this year.
Kevin McCullar flirted with the NBA but didn't get the feedback that he wanted. Due to his feedback, he decided to come back to KU for his super senior season.
By now, Jayhawk Nation is aware that Kevin McCullar is not playing in the upcoming NCAA Tournament. If you read into Coach Self's words, it is clear that Kevin is medically cleared from his bone bruise by doctors but is saying he can't go.
Reading between the lines, the most likely scenario is Kevin is worried about his draft stock slipping further and doesn't want to risk it by playing. He played off and on down the stretch and was mostly ineffective when out there while dealing with the bone bruise. In reality, bone bruise is not a season-ending type of injury.
I work in the corporate world and have worked for small and bigger companies. I understand there is no loyalty in the working world, and you must look out for yourself. Kevin is making a business decision. He doesn't want to hurt his stock by playing and not playing well. You do you.
Kevin must decide what is best for his future because, at the end of the day, he is the one who has to pave his path. That being said, there are always two sides to the coin. NBA general managers will see that when his team needed him in the biggest moment, he quit on his team. He will forever be remembered not as an Honorable Mention All-American but as the guy who quit on his team right before the NCAA Tournament.
The days of the Frank Mason's, Devonte Graham's, and Sherron Collins' are gone. We got to watch those guys bleed crimson and blue and give everything they have at every minute in every game. The last of this era is down to KJ Adams and Dajuan Harris.
KJ Adams is a true Jayhawk. He carried a rag-tag crew in the Big 12 Tournament, willing the team to hang around as long as they could against Cincinnati. He shows that true emotion and fire that makes him a fan favorite. The effort and energy he brings is next level for the Jayhawks.
We have watched him from being on the floor for the last defensive possession his freshman year in the national title game to starting as a center his sophomore year to yet another break-out junior year. KJ has improved and added to his game year after year and will be a big piece to the puzzle next year as a senior. Enjoy him, Jayhawk Nation, as he will be one of the few four-year players we will see going forward.
The transfer portal has changed the game, and if players don't get immediate playing time, we will continue to see players jump elsewhere. We will have to get used to only seeing three or four players back each year and adapt to the new rosters.
I have been critical of Dajuan Harris over the year as, quite frankly, he hasn't taken that step we all hoped he would have taken going into the year. One thing I will say is that Dajuan is a Jayhawk for life. Love him or hate him, he is a part of the Jayhawk fabric.
With Juan already announcing he will be back for a sixth and final year at KU next year, we will get to see one more chapter of his book. Hoping he gets in the gym this summer perfects his floater and works on that jump shot. Juan bleeds KU. One thing you don't have to worry about is Juan not showing up for his teammates. While his game may leave some to be desired, he is also part of that last era with KJ in Jayhawk lifers.
Here is to hoping the Jayhawks find some lighting in a bottle, the bench steps up, and we go on a surprise run. As Always Rock Chalk and Let's Go!