The Ideal Lineup for Kansas Basketball: A New Era of Possibilities
The Kansas Jayhawks are gearing up for a promising season, and with a plethora of new faces, the possibilities are endless. Coach Bill Self has hauled in three of the transfer portal’s best wing players, addressing a deficiency that held the Jayhawks back in the 2023-24 season. As we look to the future, one question remains: what would the ideal Kansas lineup look like?
The Jayhawks are gearing up for a promising season
With super senior center Hunter Dickinson announcing his return to Kansas, the addition of wing scorers could see Dickinson’s 17.9 points and 10.9 rebounds increase in 2024-25. We know what Dickinson brings to the table on both ends, but the compelling idea is what Hunter can accomplish without being constantly double and triple teamed.
“If KU shoots like they should, opposing defenders can’t just sag down on Dickinson.” - Coach Bill Self
Another obvious call in the ideal Kansas lineup is super-duper senior Dajuan Harris. I’m trying to imagine the number of assists that Dajuan would’ve had if Kansas had any reliable shooters last season. They didn’t, and Juan still dished them out at a 6.5 per game clip. Now, surrounded by guys that have reputations as big-time scorers and the possibility of a much more open Hunter Dickinson, we should see Harris’s assist numbers increase in his fifth and final season for the Jayhawks.
Dajuan Harris is set to have a big season
This is where things get interesting regarding the ideal lineup for Kansas. Wisconsin transfer AJ Storrs and Alabama transfer Rylan Griffen should be automatic additions to the starting five. Storrs is a big-time scorer who led the Badgers in scoring and to a five seed in the NCAA Tournament. He can drive the lane well and will really pose a problem to opposing defenders because he can pop the trey as well. Griffen shoots better from deep, can penetrate on the dribble drive, and is one of the best defenders Self has brought in, perhaps able to take that mantle from Kevin McCullar.
After those four, it could get tricky. KJ Adams has been a starter each of the last two seasons. Last year, he played the four but the complaint was that he didn’t do enough to help Hunter Dickinson, that their playing styles weren’t compatible. The previous season, he played the five out of necessity. That shouldn’t be an issue at all this season as Flory Bidunga is the natural backup to Dickinson. So, will the better spacing and two good shooters in Storrs and Griffen be enough to keep KJ on the floor and spread the ball around efficiently? That’s the question.
KJ Adams looks to make an impact this season
KJ doesn’t have a jump shot, so his offensive output will likely be fourth best among this projected starting five. The assumption is that Harris will distribute more than shoot now that he doesn’t really have to. Zeke Mayo was brought to KU to shoot the ball and he will see significant playing time. He’ll likely be the first off the bench, but Kansas could go four out and one in with Mayo replacing KJ on the floor. Kansas could have shooters everywhere with Harris running the show. This would likely be KU’s best offensive lineup, but might pose problems defensively if the opposition has size.
And let’s not forget the rest of the roster. Elmarko Jackson should get more minutes at the point this season as Kansas would be well served to limit Dajuan Harris’s minutes and preserve him better than they have the last two seasons. Riley Kugel is an intriguing addition as well, but he hasn’t officially been recognized as a KU player, so the jury is still out on whether he will be in Lawrence next season.
Jamari McDowell showed flashes last season, but the pure depth this team now possesses could limit his minutes. Freshman Rakease Passmore is another wing Bill Self might call into action, but with so many players ahead of him in the rotation, only time will tell. Redshirt big man Zach Clemence is also intriguing but will most likely be behind Bidunga in the rotation, with Dickinson getting the majority of the minutes anyway.
However it all shakes out, Kansas will have options. The top seven (eight if Furphy somehow stays) in the rotation seems to be set in stone, but just how Bill Self will use his players is anything but.
