Posts made by DCHawker

Remarkable stat… We are 5-20 from 3; 20-23 from 2. Perhaps not jack up so many 3s???

The bench is 1-6 (Tiller’s early 3 pointer) with 1 assist…

Finding things to complain about… Two guys have 34 of our 48 points. Need to see some production out of other starters and especially the bench…

@Crimsonorblue22 said in KU Vs Green Bay Game Chat:

El Marko?

El nono…

3 pt shooting is likely going to be an ongoing issue/concern - just 3-14 against a bad team that doesn’t isn’t pressuring the arc and doesn’t have much length…

So, this is what we can’t afford against better competition. Several empty possessions and a 6-0 run against us by a bad team…

@Crimsonorblue22 said in KU Vs Green Bay Game Chat:

What’s our total boards vs them

14-7

@Crimsonorblue22 Yes ma’am…

Interesting that our starting 4 and 5 don’t have a rebound yet…

Hard to judge right now. Defense pretty solid, offense less so - esp. given that Gottliebers are just not very good. We should be able to get to triple digits against this bunch…

@FarmerJayhawk said in KU Vs Green Bay Game Chat:

How bad is Dawson if he can’t pass McDowell

Very

Hard to figure given that he and Council had similar production in the A10.

@wissox said in Okie Lite Game chat:

Just fire the defense coaching staff right now.

The fact that the OSU quarterback was 13-14 before that throwaway is, ahem, indefensible…

@FarmerJayhawk said in KU vs Louis exhibition game chat:

Imagine how good he’s going to be as a sophomore

That isn’t happening…

Mizzou has almost 600 yards on offense - balanced between run and pass. Game really wasn’t as close as the score indicated. Having said that, but for the dropped pass, the Hawks had a chance to steal one…

@patoh3 Unfortunately, he’s not really a lead back. Doesn’t have close to the speed or shiftiness that Neal had…

I’m now actually cautiously optimistic about the roster and think the team can over perform the very modest expectations. Still not clear where the scoring is going to come from unless DP can average 20ppg and we can get around 10ppg from 4-5 others. But I think this team has a chance to be elite defensively, especially if HCBS exploits the perimeter depth and pressures the ball up the court and on the perimeter. DP, EJ, Dawson, Council and McDowell, perhaps even Rosario, can rotate 1-3. We now have some rim protection with Flory and Mbiya. White has enough size to play the 4 against most line-ups and guard the perimeter. Still not sure what Tiller can bring. But those 9-10 certainly have more speed and athleticism, even if not elite level, than the past two rosters. If DP is as advertised and can break down a defense and either finish, drop-off, or kick-out, and we have a couple of guys that can hit at 35% or better from the arc, we can be more than competitive…

While we should have a very competitive roster, the question is whether it is one that can compete for the B12 title, let along a NC? Championship teams have multiple NBA-level players. Based on ESPN’s (way too early) mock draft, we have only 2 on the board for 2026 - DP at 1 and Flory at 56 (30+ spots below Ejiofor)…Duke has two in the top 10 (including Sarr) and four in the top 16 (of course, they did this year, as well).

New ESPN on winners and losers in the portal. Guess on which side of the ledger we land…

Team that hurt its outlook by not doing enough

Medcalf: Kansas.

Last season was a disaster for Bill Self, who landed some of the top transfers in the portal but couldn’t stitch the group together. He once again brings in high-caliber talent with Darryn Peterson, a five-star recruit and the potential No. 1 pick in 2026, to go with Illinois transfer Tre White, who should help fortify one of the country’s top backcourts. But the lack of experience in the paint is a real concern for Kansas.

While Flory Bidunga is ready for a starring role after playing behind Hunter Dickinson last season, another experienced big or two would have improved the Jayhawks’ outlook. Bidunga will have to handle his new role for them to reach their goals.

@MR11 I agree that IF we get a starter level 3/4 wing, the roster could compete with almost anyone (well, maybe plus a solid 4/5 rotation piece). A Hopkins type would certainly fit that bill (is anyone close to that available?). I don’t want to make too much of SJU, but they have Hopkins. They have Zuby, who I would take over Flory (just for this next year). Dillon is basically a wash with White (I might slightly prefer the former). Sellers + Sanon + Jackson (all P5 double figure scorers) > Dawson + Council (although not by that much). Darling is a really solid backup at the 1. The difference is DP - if he lives up to the ranking, then we could be sneaky good. IF we get that starter level 3/4…

St. John’s portal haul for comparison (added to Zuby):

Bryce Hopkins (17.0 PPG at Providence) - Oziyah Sellers (13.7 PPG at Stanford) - Joson Sanon (11.9 PPG at Arizona State) - Ian Jackson (11.9 PPG at North Carolina) - Dylan Darling (19.8 PPG at Idaho State) - Dillon Mitchell (9.9 PPG at Cincinnati) - Handje Tamba (10.5 PPG at Milligan - NAIA)

The “strategy” for this off season is simply…mystifying.

We knew what we had coming back, which wasn’t much at all - 5ppg in Flory - high potential, but still raw - Elmarko - underwhelming first year and coming off a serious injury - Tiller - essentially an unproven freshman coming off injury - and Jamari - at best a few minutes off the bench guy. And, of course, DP - 1st or 2nd ranked recruit, but still a freshman.

We knew what we needed - 3 P5 level starters with more speed, length and athleticism, one of whom needed to be the first or second option on offense - a 15ppg+ scorer - plus front court depth and better perimeter shooting. Yes, we wanted better fits, but fits that fit the bill. No issues with the three transfers as role players and maybe filling 2 starter slots. Our perimeter defense should be much, much better. But they don’t come close to matching the portal hauls by other teams.

White is a solid P5 role player, but that’s it. Over three years, has averaged 10ppg and 30% from 3. Makes fewer than one trey per game. That isn’t going to help with spacing. Numbers haven’t changed much over the 3 years - he is who he is. Dawson and Council solid contributors on non-P5 teams. Should we expect them to do more against consistently better competition? Dawson stepped up his scoring his third year to 14 ppg and solid from 3, but overall FG% just 41%. I like what Council brings, but he is sub 30% from 3. Are any of the three really 30mpg B12 caliber starters or more like 15-20 mpg role players?

Given what we so obviously needed - and still need - it’s difficult to comprehend the very high risk strategy of waiting out the draft game to fill key starting and depth roles (or the international can they qualify crap shoot). Yes, it’s worked before, but that was before NIL bags got so large. Most (exception of Luis) of the handful of guys that ended up coming back were in the driver’s seat and able to get big hauls from high bidders.

@BeddieKU23 said in The portal.:

@Jhawk69

This is a big one (literally) if they can get all the logistics in order. I think this is the biggest remaining need to ensure this team has enough front court depth + he’s going to have a good-sized role.

Another Wing Shooter is still priority 1A, but they may have to live with what they got. Perhaps they get lucky shaking the trees this summer as we’ve seen Coit/Furphy join the team late in the last two years and have impacts.

Reporter for 247 quoted HCBS as saying we needed to add a 15ppg wing (3/4) to “have a complete roster.”

@BShark said in KU Roster for 25-26:

@TYOHawk said in KU Roster for 25-26:

Team might be mediocre

I’ll bet against that

Agree that it will not be mediocre; more than solid. But can our current roster challenge for a B12 title, let alone a NC??? Sure doesn’t seem so. Flory has potential, but is still raw and unproven as a starting 5. Added three solid wings, but only one of which was rated in the top 120 portal transfers, and that was White at 70+. Compare that to SJU, which has Zuby returning (better at this point than Flory), and added 5 top 100 transfers. Compare to UF, Houston, Purdue, Duke, UK, and others. Unless DP is the best player in college ball next year and/or Tiller and Calderon can actually play 20 mpg at a P5 level, it difficult to see how our roster is any more than below the top tier in the B12. Seems like we will be able to defend and apply pressure, but we don’t have much length/size, and no depth in the front court.

@BeddieKU23 said in The portal.:

One to monitor

So, what does “one to monitor” mean? That he is a capable international front court player that we should go after to fill a gaping hole, or that KU is actively pursuing?

@drgnslayr We’ve fallen well behind Houston - they’ve dominated the conference the past two years and it doesn’t look like that will change. Outside of the conference, look at what UF has done this offseason - kept its entire front court - Condon, Hauch, Chinleyu, and Handlogten. Lost Clayton, Martin and Richard, but arguably now has an even stronger backcourt adding Fland, Lee and AJ Brown in the portal. Plus two top 4-5 star incoming freshmen. As of now, its hard to argue that we have a line-up that is even close to that level…

@approxinfinity said in Recruiting Notes:

Crickets. Now we wait.

What - or who - are we waiting for???

@rockchalkjayhawk said in The portal.:

@DCHawker said in The portal.:

@rockchalkjayhawk Who are the available gems???

I’m sure somebody in here would fit the bill.

https://247sports.com/season/2025-basketball/transferportaltop/?status=available

Uh - only 5 of the top 150 are uncommitted - Luis, Watkins, and Claude, all of whom would be expensive and have issues, and two former Jayhawks. Unless there is someone hanging out overseas, we simply don’t have a starting caliber roster right now… DP, Flory, White, Council and Dawson/Jackson? I expect those guys can defend the perimeter and switches, but no length and size. No depth. When Flory gets in foul trouble, which he will, what then? Tiller? Is White really a 4? Who subs at that slot?

As I noted earlier in this thread, while almost everyone else was locking up a starting roster early, we were putting all our eggs in a small, post-tryout basket…

@rockchalkjayhawk Who are the available gems???

@approxinfinity said in The portal.:

So Dame Sarr coming to KU is contingent upon Coward not going pro right? When do we anticipate knowing whether Coward will go to Duke or NBA?

If true, that is effed up - we get Duke’s leftovers??? This process begs the question I posed much earlier in this thread. What is plan B if the high reward - high risk gamble of playing the draft withdrawal waiting game doesn’t play out??? Why not just focus on getting a complete starting line-up committed much earlier in the process, like most other top tier teams have done???

If we don’t get Sarr or Williams, what then? I like the guys we have, but its not close to a contending starting lineup now - we have no size, bulk or shooters on the roster now. I get trying to be smarter about good fits, and don’t have any problem with adding Council, Dawson and White, but we are at least one starter short right now, with no front court size or depth…

Tiller and Calderon so little thought of that even with DP, KU’s recruiting class isn’t in 247’s top 25 classes. Nor is our portal class as of now…

@SlimShaddy54 said in KU Roster for 25-26:

@Texas-Hawk-10 quite possible , complete package

He may be the real deal, but what does that mean? Not very often that single freshmen carry teams to NCAA titles - Carmelo Anthony and Anthony Davis? Each of those had other NBA players on the roster. Hakeem Warwick was on the Syracuse title team with Anthony. Milt Wagner and others with Davis. DP may be the real deal and a complete package, perhaps the best freshman next year, but is he a NBA first team talent? Perhaps. Is there anyone else on the roster who is NBA starter level??? Most NCAA champs have multiple future NBA players - true of KU as well…

Coward to Duke. Would have been fine going after and getting him in lieu of waiting on Williams…

So, regarding Williams… Would definitely be a good get - can hit from outside and post his man on the blocks. But it seems like all our eggs are in one basket? What if he stays in the draft? What is plan B? If he does come to KU, does White stay? If so, do they both start at the 3/4? Still not a particularly long or big line-up. If White leaves, Williams is the better version of a similar player, but at a really high cost. Then we are still left with the problem of needing another started at the 3/4.

I’m still struggling to see the bigger picture. I get trying to get guys who “fit” and I don’t have issue with any of the adds as rotation players, but it seems like we are looking at some of the same issues as this past couple of years with roster construction. Floor spacing, rebounding, and lack of 40% 3pt shooters…

St. Johns is a good comp. All Pitino had coming back was Zuby, similar to KU with Flory (although even that was in doubt). So Pitino hit the portal hard and landed a complete complementary starting roster - Hopkins, Mitchell, Sanon, Jackson, and Sellers. Any of the 3 probably better than the 3 we’ve signed so far. 5 guys - size, shooters and ball handlers plus Zuby. DP might be the only guy on our roster who I would take over any of the Johnnies. So, how is SJ able to do that, with I assume a much smaller NIL budget???

@BShark said in The portal.:

@BeddieKU23 Doesn’t make much sense to me

I don’t understand it either. Played 20mpg for UTEP. Yes, shot 44% from 3 with some volume (up from 20% freshman year), but only about 35% from inside the arc. Against lesser competition than in the B12. Based on stats, can’t do much else. Who does he sub for? Do we run plays to get him open looks? Just 6’3’’ (if) - can he get off shots off consistently?

We don’t have anyone on the roster who can really score at three levels, and he isn’t the answer. We need at least one, if not two starter calibers guys who can do that. All the FF teams had multiple guards/wings who could score at three levels, and multiple shooting high 30s or even over 40% from deep.

@BShark said in The portal.:

@approxinfinity well Tre White is a guy that started for a better team last year and word around Omaha is Bill promised Dawson he will start.

Best case right now is one more high caliber player while keeping everyone currently on the roster.

Splitting hairs, but not sure Illinois was really a better team - 22-13. Regardless, White averaged only 23mpg, 6th most on the team. 5th leading scorer. Only 70 3PA - seventh on the team and half of every other starter. 33% on 3s. Decent rebounder, but less than 1 APG for a guard/wing? Seems like more of a solid rotation piece than a starter on a title contending team. Fine with Dawson as a starting combo guard with DP, with Council and Elmarko rotating, but we need another big wing/4 who should be the 1st or 2nd scoring option. We have no size right now. Even then, unless we are confident that Elmarko and Tiller are fully recovered from injuries and can contribute serious minutes, we are woefully short of quality depth, esp. up front…

Pitino has completely restocked SJU in the portal with quality players - can’t imagine that the Johnnies have a bigger NIL budget than KU? Same with several other teams that, at least 'til now, appear to have done a lot more with the portal. I fully support getting guys who “fit”, which wasn’t the case last year, but the wait and see game is excruciating…

What is the play now that the portal has closed, the vast majority of entrants committed (certainly of the top 100), and we have the 31st ranked portal class (per 247)? I assume someone on the board has a good idea.

Are we putting a lot/all our eggs in the Stokes or Williams basket? Where are the points (and rebounds) going to come from with who we have now? We have 5ppg coming back - that’s it. Flory should be improved, but he is not going to be a big scorer. Are White, Dawson and Council going to up their scoring averages against B12 competition? Doubtful. Let’s assume they can maintain their scoring average and Flory doubles to 10ppg. Those four get us less than 50ppg. Maybe DP can get 20ppg+. Bench points? If opponents clog the middle and dare to knock down 3s, who can consistently do that?

Do we currently have a roster that can be competitive game to game? Yes, but compete for a B12 title, let alone a NC? Doesn’t seem to be close to that. DP better be the best player in the country and unstoppable…

If Stokes for '26 only, that doesn’t help the coming year - major holes - still have no size and shooting at this point. Personally, I would have preferred getting Coward.

@TYOHawk said in Recruiting Notes:

@DCHawker said in Recruiting Notes:

@BShark said in Recruiting Notes:

@TYOHawk said in Recruiting Notes:

Stokes is in town let’s roll…

The things Trilly and some others are saying right now…I’m BRICKED.

Translation for us Luddites???

We have some momentum in regards to Stokes and BShark is excited by that.

Thx - guess I’m BRICKED as well…

@BShark said in Recruiting Notes:

@TYOHawk said in Recruiting Notes:

Stokes is in town let’s roll…

The things Trilly and some others are saying right now…I’m BRICKED.

Translation for us Luddites???

@FarmerJayhawk said in The portal.:

Mini Peja in the portal yes pls

Yes. Surprisingly not a good 3pt%, but averaged 18ppg for a P5 team and definitely progressed from freshman year. DP, Dawson/Council/Elmarko, White/Stojakovic, and Flory plus another 20mpg quality big would start to get the juices flowing. Coward, Stokes would be icing on the cake…

@Texas-Hawk-10 Agree re Council. Seems like a really solid rotation guy willing to go hard when he is in. But, a starter? A <15ppg scorer at St. Bonaventure? FG% 44%. 3pt% 30%. Just 2 FTAs per game averaging 37 minutes. Against much lower competition. Just 6’4’’ and 180lbs. Not sure how he will measure up against other B12 guards/wings. Same with Dawson. 14ppg for a double digit loss team in the A-10. Just 41% from the field. Also 6’4" and 185lbs. White also seems like a solid rotation piece, but just 10ppg for an okay Illinois team and just 23mpg. Is he really a starter on a team that aspires to titles? 6’7’’ and 210lbs. Not really a 4 and doesn’t shoot well enough from outside to be a 2-3?

All good rotation players, but starters??? Are we going to have to get 25ppg+ from DP?

@jayhawks2010 said in The portal.:

I don’t think you can play two bigs unless your 4 is athletic and can shoot like Marcus Morris. We’ve struggled bc we’ve played two bigs and they both can’t shoot lol

Florida rotated 4 bigs, almost always 2 on the floor. Only one could shoot. Houston rotated 3 bigs, none of whom had an outside shot. Auburn played two bigs, one of them a scorer. Duke played one true big, but 3 and 4 were 6’11’ and 6’8’. Michigan played 2 bigs. TTU had a starting line-up similar in size to our current projected, but Toppin > Flory and Williams > White. Fredericko also played almost 20mpg. UConn teams only had one true big, but he was dominant and they had a lot of size across the line-up - 6’4" to 6’8".

The problem isn’t with necessarily 2 bigs that can’t shoot - it’s that the past two years we haven’t had guards/wings who could attack the paint and finish at the rim and/or consistently hit from the arc. Both shortcomings are why we have had double digit losses and early exits.

@FarmerJayhawk said in The portal.:

@kuballin10 too early to say. 4 more roster spots to fill. Another starter and a backup big are the main priorities right now. But as of 11:28 PM 4/16 it’s DP, Council, Dawson, White, Flory.

Therein lies the problem. Decent 5 to have on the floor for stretches, but is that really a line-up that can compete for a B12 title, let alone make a run in the tournament? 4 guards/wings, and an undersized 5. No real shooters. The recent formula for championships and FF success is 3 guards/wings who can attack the rim, hit 35%+ from 3, and defend the perimeter, and 2 mobile, rangy bigs who can set screens, execute the pick and roll, rebound, and defend both on the perimeter and at the rim (they don’t have to be scorers other than lobs and put backs). We need another wing who is a starter ahead of Council, Dawson, White, and a starting caliber 4-5 to rotate, not just back up Flory. Would also be good to have a true point guard, even if just as a bench piece.

@BeddieKU23 So, he seems like a solid rotation piece, but more than that? Did we choose Council over Lee, or did Lee choose Florida over us?

If the former, do we think HCBS and staff is better at talent evaluation than Golden and the UF staff? Gators just won the Natty without a single top 100 recruit.

Are White, Dawson and Council better than portal guys signed by 2-3 dozen other schools, including some in the B12?

@dylans said in KU Roster for 25-26:

https://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/story/_/id/44689483/mens-college-basketball-way-too-early-ranking-top-25-teams-2025-26-texas-tech-byu

Three big12 teams in the top 6 of these extremely way too early rankings. (Spoiler, none of them are KU). Another 2 teams ranked in the top 15 also not KU who checks in at 19.

A lot of roster left to build, but it needs to be impactful to keep pace.

Projecting DP, Flory, Elmarko, White and Dawson as starters, which isn’t going to intimidate anyone. Small line-up. No real shooters. Won’t be able to handle other bigs. Critical that we get 2 more starting caliber players, but pool of ranked ones is dwindling…

@SlimShaddy54 Agree. Against MD in the tourney, Brennan had 8 RBs, but only 2 pts as GCU got blown out.

@BShark Is a third-team MAAC guy a starter for us? Or, just a good bench piece?

Would love for him to commit, as well. And, agree, we need to fill other slots. Patience? How much? Most the top 100 ranked transfers have already committed. Several schools have 2-3 of them. Louisville has 3 of the top 30, Michigan 3 of the top 33, Kentucky 3 of the top 52, 4 of the top 72. Curious why we need to be more patient than others?

@Jhawk69 That’s playing the Ivy. Not sure if he could match that in the B12? No question a good player. But, what position? Would he be the PG? DP is more of a 2, even though would probably have the highest usage. A small 3? We would really need a big 4.

@BeddieKU23 said in The portal.:

Whoa, Xavian Lee visiting this weekend as being reported by Tipton

Would be a good get - can hit from deep and is actually a ranked transfer. White just 73 on ESPN’s list; Lee is 25. No one else associated with us is in the top 100. How is that possible??? Does it make sense to ink both Lee and Council? That is lot of perimeter players, none with much size. We need at least one true rotation big. Would Brennan really fill that need?