I wasn’t expecting to well up in tears for someone I hadn’t personally met, but I did. I’ve been to four funerals of friends and family this year and was able to stay composed, but this hit me harder than expected. @RockChalkinTexas apparently holds a special place in my heart. I enjoy my bucketteers; don’t any of you dare leave!

Everyone stay safe and healthy as possible this holiday season!!!

@wissox said in My crisis of faith in Bill:

Bill Self had a phase where he recruited some questionable character guys. It really impacted this program, saddling us with the black eye of the half decade long investigation. The dude with the car accident (I’ve repressed the memory of his name and couldn’t care less to learn his name), the dude with the shoebox money (ditto my other parenthesis), Josh Jackson the most talented of all the lowlifes we brought in. The dude who raped the woman. Vick, had some issues, forgetting exactly, Jalen Wilson DUI, and the aforementioned Cliff Alexander, a victim of his own ma if I recall correctly. I might be wrong but Selfs first decade with us was his strongest and we avoided these headlines.

The original post, excellent btw @approxinfinity, and @MoonwalkMafia, was what’s happened to recruiting. Bill Self is still struggling to recover from the black eyes of the last decade.

But part of this is waiting for NCAA to work out the negativity of the NIL and portal eras. We brought in some highly ranked 5 star for next year. Normally I’d be stoked but now I’m just thinking he’s another Grady or Furphy (who had like 1 good game while he was here using us to get to the league). So while maybe the character issue has been resolved, finding loyal guys to the program who see all of the ‘trappings’ that come with being a KU player has been difficult. I laugh at guys like Grady Dick who took the money and play for a gosh awful Toronto team. Must be really fun playing in a boring league in front bored fans. He was getting paid here and would be a huge part of KU lore had he stuck around. Instead he’s an NBA afterthought. Would’ve gotten paid after this year or even his senior year a bunch.

88, 08, and 22 have forever etched themselves into my mind and make enduring these down periods a little less difficult. But I fear the aura of KU ball wearing off a little bit and always look at IU basketball, or Nebraska football as examples of programs that ruled their sport that haven’t been able to get it together since. Anyone see IU fans abandon the Assembly Hall the other day against Illinois before the first half was even done? My worst nightmare for KU right there.

Having met Jalen Wilson and seeing as he has had no other issues I take offense to his inclusion on the bad actors list. He made a childish mistake, atoned for it, and didn’t have another single issue - if I’m not mistaken. His attitude and demeanor improved drastically after that and he became a model student athlete on and off the court.

Worst case scenario- KU in line for the number one overall seed, plays no games due to a pandemic. Leaving nothing but what if’s for all.

@BeddieKU23 Yes, Kelly should’ve stayed another year, but I’m still upset that Paul Pierce left early.

I love that Bill Self is being blamed for tuning out a roster devoid of post talent and yet his team is playing the best basketball in the nation, undefeated, and ranked #2.

The warts will show, but Bill is doing a masterful job once again.

Wow. Hope he figures life out quickly. He’s blowing a couple once in a lifetime opportunities.

Just realized Buckets turned 10 years old last October!!! Thanks to all who have helped make this site entertaining!

As a Chiefs fan, Mahomes is payback for watching other teams do that to our D for years.

Win at all costs and the fans cry about not looking to the future. Sit Cliff and lose tonight with an eye on the future and fans cry. It’a a good thing KU basketball coach isn’t an elected position. The man has done nothing but win games at a historic rate. KU is 14-3 with a freshman and sophomore dominated line-up in what has been the hardest schedule in the nation. I’m estatic with the win loss record, but think there is much room for improvement in play. That’s what has me excited, KU will be better in March and even better next year.

If Bill manages to win the conference title this year it will be quite the feat with 8 teams in a 10 team conference having been ranked in the top 25. That means 8 teams have been rated in the top 7% of all college basketball. KU will have to earn this championship!

@BShark In hindsight Hunter was a disaster, but who would’ve though Zuby and Udeh both would shirk from competition so hard?!? Knowing that I’d still rather have had the two, maybe. Eh why not? the alternative stunk.

@Jhawk69 said in KU Roster for 25-26:

@dylans Yes. Last years team had the roster to be good (as evidenced by a strong November, preseason number 1 ranking, outplaying Houston) but suffered from lack of effort, lack of leadership, lack of cohesion etc.

To clarify for those who don’t know how to read, I am not saying last years roster should have been ranked number 1 or that it didn’t have shortcomings, just that it had the pieces for our team to be much better than it was.

It appeared the locker room was deeply fractured. The loss in March seemed more like a mercy.

Hopefully this team will be more of a unified group. That alone will make for more enjoyable play to watch. - That’s my only real hope for the season, that KU basketball is fun to watch again. If the players are having fun, maybe the results will surprise. It would be nice to want the season to continue this go around.

@BShark said in KU Roster for 25-26:

@Jhawk69 said in KU Roster for 25-26:

@BShark I agree for the most part. I will also note that KU’s defense last year was a paper tiger. Sure, they could completely stiffle Cincinatti and Arizona State to inflate their numbers, but any above-average offense absolutely carved them up at will. They allowed Baylor to score 60 points in one half! They gave up an open three in pretty much every “must stop” situation too.

As bad as the BYU game was the Utah game was absolutely horrific as well. Just many cases of them being horrific defensively.

Last year they didn’t buy in and it was a disaster down the stretch. Maybe this year the guys will have more fun, gel, and play above their talent level. But if Bill is pushing up daisies the season will implode so fast. Jacque…are you ready?!?

Last years team was atrocious, on that I think most of us can agree. They still beat Duke and UNC.

Will this years squad be good enough to win a couple marquee games? UNC, Duke, UConn are on the schedule. These three games could represent the peak opportunity for the team on the year. Unless KU gets unexpectedly hot in March these regular season games might be the pinnacle of the season. Ugg

@BShark gross

@wissox The OC change was definitely a negative last year. Hope they have it right now.

@FarmerJayhawk said in KU Roster for 25-26:

Bill has taken a similarly talented group to a natty appearance so just my view, but it’s too early to say.

Robinson was a three year stud. Tyshawn was a revelation his senior year. This team doesn’t have a national player of the year candidate big that can carry them. The talent level is not really comparable. Hired gun Flory will never hold a candle to FOE Thomas Robinson.

But I like your optimism! I do think the team will be more entertaining to watch than the last couple plodding HD years.

KU football seems to have a better chance of making the playoffs than KU basketball does of making the sweet 16. What weird times.

@BShark Hopefully the defense is better - that would be a welcome relief. I believe the team will be more fun to watch, faster paced. I don’t believe they will win anything of consequence. They just don’t have the horses.

On paper KU has flory at 5.9ppg returning. Elmarko who didn’t inspire in his first year - hopefully he’s way better after his recovery, but that’s just wishful thinking at this point. Two mid-major players for wings - saw how that worked out with Zeke last year. Tiller? The only thing I’m excited about is Peterson - an athletic PG that can score will be nice - how’s his defense?

This team will be an also ran. A team that 6 years from now no one remembers much about. Oh yeah do you remember Peterson played for KU? look at what he’s doing in the NBA! I don’t care about the NBA though that’s likely where his best years will be. Not the one he plays for KU.

Now if there were no transfers and all freshmen were the newcomers I’d be excited as all get out about watching the team develop as they will be very good in 2-3 years. This squad won’t ever develop into anything more than what we get this year. Which I predict is a big nothing burger.

Is this the future of KU basketball? A bunch of one year rentals? The NIL era is garbage.

I think KU will field a good team. KU should field a great team ever year or have the pipeline full of young talent. There is at least one elite player on the team which is a definite improvement over the last two seasons, but the pipeline is not full.

@MR11 This is KU, if you can’t compete for a national title, it is a bad year. Next year looks like a bad year. I would take anyone’s money that wants to wager on KU even making the final four. That roster is mid and most are one year rentals. Pass on next year. Maybe the next year more players will stick around and KU will be decent. This year is a loss already.

…about those bets, cash only.