@drgnslayr said in Darryn Peterson:

@BeddieKU23 said in Darryn Peterson:

Do you think the way defenses are guarding Peterson these days has an influence on the shots he's getting lately. Seems like every team is throwing 2-3 guys his way and he's not getting open looks.

Of course, this makes it even worse!

But they throw this at him because he just stands on the side on the 3-pt line, awaiting a pass. If he would run laterally, across the defense, running all kinds of fakes and direction changes, it would create a huge mess if teams think they can keep two guys on him. If that happens, DP is then making natural forming screens for other players.

The predictable thing for him to do would have us set a high ball screen for him. That can work sometimes... but wouldn't count on that always working.

Tre would be great at this. He stands around on the 3-pt line... he could cut right down into the paint, while DP runs in from the other side. One of these guys is going to then pop open on the other side on the 3-pt line.

My point is we need to at least attempt to run offense. We seem to just quit running schemes over a month ago, and hence, our record shows it!

Record with DP playing is 14-8; without him its 9-2. Only two losses to Duke and UConn. Efficiency ratings and other advanced metrics show we have been a better team when DP is not playing or not on the court. Worst offensive games have been with DP playing.

That's not all on DP, although it isn't clear he makes his teammates better. It seems to be primarily scheme or coaching. When DP isn't playing, there is no go-to guy - the ball moves better, Council goes downhill more, and more set plays to get Flory lobs. Many more assists. With DP, everyone waits for him to make plays and the energy level dissipates on both sides of the ball.

His usage rate is ridiculously high. With defenses scheming to shut him down with double-teaming, you would think that with a couple of passes out of double team, we should be getting wide open looks from the arc or finishes in the paint. Not happening...

@Tallturd1 said in Kansas Jayhawks @ NC State Wolfpack Game Chat Sat. 12/13 4:30 CT:

@BeddieKU23

We have the 5th toughest schedule overall and the 6th toughest non conference schedule. Our resume rating is based on what chances out of 100 would the 25th ranked team have of matching our current record. They would have a 15% chance of matching our 8-3 record. We have played 6 games against a top 50 ranked team and are 3/3.

We actually have the 2nd toughest schedule per Kenpom of the top 100+ teams (Alabama only one higher). 8 of our 11 games have been against high major opponents. Not sure anyone can match that. Our 3 losses have been against the #3, 5, and 12 teams with a combined record of 29-2. Two of those without our top PPG scorer.

Yes, we haven't demonstrated that we can beat the very top teams, but we can at least hang with them and beat anyone else.

But there is a small margin for error. We need someone to step up every game...

@BeddieKU23 said in Kansas Jayhawks vs Iowa State Cyclones Game Chat Sat. 1/13 8:00 CT:

Espn sucks

Delaying game for fake golf post game?????

Why can't we play with this effort and ball movement every game??????

White and Council with double-doubles...

We may have the most offensive offense in college ball …

Solid win by Houston yesterday and remarkable comeback by TTU against Duke. Although not close to the non-conference record the SEC demonstrated last year, the B12 solidified its position (again) at the top of the conference rankings - best win-loss record against other power conferences and against ranked opponents. Impressive collection of high quality wins, including giving Duke, UConn and Purdue their only losses.

We play like this and we’ll lose by 30 to SJU…

So, HCBS is already tightening his bench. It's a game he clearly wants, and only two subs thus far.

This is awesome, but we are still giving up WAY too many ORBs....

@Kcmatt7 If Thiam, if Blyden and if Stokes, then with Dawes and Kinney, and Rosario swinging, I guess that is a starting 5 - but really??? Two small guards, neither of whom has played against bigger, P5 talent.

I don't quite get the love for Blyden (notwithstanding EvanMiya projections). Solid stats but against decidedly second-tier competition. Toledo played exactly one P5 opponent, MSU, and lost by 23. Blyden had 10 pts (4-10/2-8), 2 assists, no rebounds, and 4 fouls. The very best non-P5 players seem to be able to step up pretty well, but the track record for mid-teens scorers on mediocre non-P5 teams is pretty spotty (look at ours over the past 3 years).

Is Thiam better than Flory? No - maybe close to a push, but we aren't gaining anything at the 5. Is Stokes better than Peterson? Defnitely not coming in - a much weaker HS class. Is Dawes better than Tillerson with another year? Maybe, not by much. Perhaps closer to White.

Can that lineup defend - other than some decent rim protection? B12 guards would shoot over or back down Kinney and Blyden. Can Dawes or Stokes really defend on the perimeter and handle switches?

If that's our starting 5, I don't see how the results could be expected to be any better than the past few years - and I'm generally a glass half-full guy? But other than Momcilovic or Juke Harris, neither of whom we are in the mix for, are there any other P5 guys out there who have proven they can get you 20 points on any given night against the best competition?

@BeddieKU23 said in KU ROSTER 2026-27:

New guard target Leroy Blyden Jr. Could be visiting this weekend.
Good Tape. Had good season for a freshman. 40% from 3 on high volume, good rebounding and assists numbers. Hello I've already forgotten Hill...

https://youtu.be/VHQ-5P0yMDA?si=gH33FqmU4i1jR3Cq

Does that mean the Hill ship has sailed? Wouldn't think we would sign two smaller guards with Kinney coming in. Expect either would be demanding to start?

So, Dawes seems to be solid, but is a someone ranked #61 in the transfer portal by ESPN and starter on a bottom tier B12 team really your starting 4? Seems very Tre like? Nice player, but you need to have a lot more talent if you want to compete for a conference title, let alone for a national championship. Perhaps an upgrade of Tiller of last year, but not much more than that?

I still don't get the overarching strategy. As of now, we can't field a competitive team. Dawes, Kinney, Kohl and Mbyia???? The only other name in the portal I see linked to KU is Hill? Compare to Michigan - has an incoming top 5 freshman, got a commit from Estrella, Cadeu and McKenney coming back (without entering the portal), and Johnson is projected to come back (probably not Mara). In the mix for Juke Harris. That is a roster that can repeat. Louisville has three top transfers committed. Texas has gotten 2 top 15 transfer commits. Indiana has gotten Sherrill and Burton. The significant majority of the top 50 consensus ranked transfers have already committed. Wright returning to BYU. Condon returning to Florida (without testing the portal or NBA). Most of the top teams from the past year have multiple starters or key rotation guys running it back; we have none (which is the primary reason KU isn't in many preseason top 25s).

Why do more teams have players that want to return and don't bother with entering the portal? Why are most other teams that lose a lot due to eligibility, NBA or portal able to pounce quickly to fill core needs in the portal while we remain on the sidelines? Does everyone else larger NIL banks?

@Jayhawk_69 said in KU ROSTER 2026-27:

I would not expect Hill to average 15ppg in the Big 12 if he transferred here. I would expect a fairly efficient 10ppg, floor spacing, solid defense, and utility as a secondary ball-handler out of him.

Seems reasonable - but we would still need to find ~65 pts elsewhere...which means 2 or 3 more double digit scorers, apart from rebounding and rim protection.

@Jayhawk_69 That may be, but he was still a 25 minutes per game guy for a non-P5 team. Scored about the same PPG as Council and Dawson. So, do we really think that 15 ppg in the A10 is going to translate in similar production in the B12? We've seen that movie. The non-P5 guys that are able to produce in stepped up competition are those few who were the best players in their league. Think Stirtz for Drake or Lendeborg for UAB. Not low to mid-teens scorers against lesser competition....

@Jayhawk_69 He played starter minutes, but came off the bench. Remarkable that VCU can field 5 starters and have him coming off the bench, but apparently KU is incapable of have bench players who are capable of consistently contributing. Hill also linked to Tennessee and UK...

said in KU ROSTER 2026-27:

@bskeet said in KU ROSTER 2026-27:

@Texas-Hawk-10 said in KU ROSTER 2026-27:

The question is always do you take as many players as possible early, or do you wait for some.guys to withdraw from the draft as those are the higher ceiling players and you still absolutely have to have future NBA talent to win championships in college basketball

The latter is the high-risk, high-reward approach without a safety net.

The staff would probably say 'do both' and try to thread the needle. Not sure how realistic that is.

There are guys in the portal now that you could build a contender with. I don't understand the idea of not getting some key early starter level commits. Save one or two slots for the guys that don't stay in the draft. Louisville already has Flory and Shelstad committed.

A day+ later and numerous other high level commits and silence in Lawrence. I don't get it. UNC, with a new coach, is able to persuade a couple of guys to return and get a high level transfer commit. I haven't seen KU associated with many P5 guys; mostly mid-majors.

More than anything else, we need a rim protector (to back-up big Paul... ;)). Thiam is being linked with MSU. Diop? Sherrill? Is anyone else out there? I get that Flory isn't worth and we can't afford 5 bills, but what is the price tag on the other bigs?

We also need guys who can actually consistently make shots from the arc and open the floor. Seems like forever since we've had someone who you can run plays for off screens. Would love to get a Sandfort clone, or anything close to him.

I don't really get the love for Hill. Would be a solid roster piece, but he is 6th man for a mid-major who lit it up for one game (so did Council). Hill, Brown and Goode, who seem to be the only guys we are linked with - would scare no one in the B12...

@bskeet said in KU ROSTER 2026-27:

@Texas-Hawk-10 said in KU ROSTER 2026-27:

The question is always do you take as many players as possible early, or do you wait for some.guys to withdraw from the draft as those are the higher ceiling players and you still absolutely have to have future NBA talent to win championships in college basketball

The latter is the high-risk, high-reward approach without a safety net.

The staff would probably say 'do both' and try to thread the needle. Not sure how realistic that is.

There are guys in the portal now that you could build a contender with. I don't understand the idea of not getting some key early starter level commits. Save one or two slots for the guys that don't stay in the draft. Louisville already has Flory and Shelstad committed.

To those who have more insight into the internal workings, is there actually a plan to build a roster? Nothing discernible to outsiders. Waiting on Stokes (please, I hope that isn't the case)? Focused targets in the portal, or waiting to see other entrants over the next week? At this point, we can barely field a team, and not one that can win a game. There is a good reason why we aren't in the way to early rankings for probably the first time ever.

Several of the top portal guys are already committing. I've never seen anything like the entire roster jumping ship absent a coaching change. Is the expectation that we can pull a Michigan and draw (and pay for) 5 high level P5 starters? Or, at least at UConn with 4 along with Kinney or Kohl? Any word on the latter? It seems like the only guys we are in on at this point is more non-P5 guys - is that the best we can do? Some cancelling visits with us and committing elsewhere.

What does this say about Self and/or KU? He's coming back, but the entire roster with eligibility (and no NBA shot other than possibly Flory) is jumping ship. Most of the UNC roster entered, but that isn't as surprising given the coaching change. Why are other top programs consistently able to get some of their best players to come back???