My bold prediction is that Doke is going to be 1st Team All Big 12. I have heard very little nationally about him when the upcoming year is being discussed and I have been a bit surprised at how little we are talking about him on this site! I feel that he will average 14, 10 and 3 and will be an absolute beast. The NBA told him quite candidly what he needs to work on and I expect to see those improvements right out of the gate this year. His jump hook will be improved. His FT’s will be improved. His nose for the ball on rebounds will be improved. His awareness of how and when to block shots will be improved!!!

To me this is all positive. Vick is being allowed to come back because he has agreed to Self’s conditions. In Vick we have a guy returning that will be playing his 4th year of college ball, knows the offense, can shoot 3’s, can guard multiple positions, and is a freak athlete.

And Vick is going to get a diploma. That is a huge bonus for this young man who may or may not make a living playing professional basketball.

Rock Chalk.

@kjayhawks Agreed. This could be a really great thing for KU if LaGerald decides to return. Sounds like he is more than likely heading to the G League but if he chooses to play at KU for his senior year it will be a returning veteran who knows the offense, is a proven shooter, a proven winner, a returning starter and a guy who has played in countless big games. Seems logical to me to be excited about the possibility of his return since we all know how much we will have to rely on young guy in the backcourt. If he returns I trust that Bill and his staff will be ready for whatever baggage (if any) that he returns with.

@ReggieKansas Is he looking lost out there against more athletic bigs who can shoot from the perimeter? Looking out of shape? One dimensional? Thanks for the account!

@drgnslayr

@jaybate-1-0

Wow. Thanks for sharing the quotes. Fine line between confidence and arrogance? Hope he knows that Bill is going to knock him down a peg or two the moment he sets foot on campus.

Not sure who I have but love the NBA Jam nostalgia this conjures up.

All jokes aside, what is the deal with Doke and his abysmal shooting stroke? Jo Jo has a great stroke. De Sousa has shocked me with how great his form is and how confident he appears at the FT line. Do any of you guys know what the deal is and can it be fixed? Are Doke’s hands significantly larger than these other guys who are 7 feet tall? He would be a monster on offense if he could just develop into a guy who could hit an 8 foot jump shot and shoot 65% from the line.

I am all for Doke coming back!!! It is good for everyone. He needs the experience as he has really only one NBA ready attribute (his size) and Kansas would benefit from his skills and the added depth. A front-court next year of Doke, De Sousa, McCormack, Lawson, Lawson and Mitch seems like an incredible group with a number of guys with different strengths and talents.

Also, it has taken me a couple of days to look at the site since our season ended and I am very pleased with what I have read so far today. I think most of us realize that this KU team was very special but also in many ways almost over achieved by winning yet another Big 12 title and reaching the Final 4. 31 wins, Big 12 Title, Final 4 appearance, 1st Team All American…hard to ask for much more than that. Hats off to Nova for their win. The first half was one of the most incredible displays of shooting I have ever seen and honestly don’t plan to see again any time soon.

@wissox I just looked at all of the ESPN “expert” picks for both games and it is pretty hilarious. There are more picks for Loyola to beat Michigan than KU to beat Nova. How is this possible? How would an 11 seed have a better shot of beating a 3 seed than a 1 seed vs. a 1 seed?

I am not sure why I care. Our guys should just go out and take care of business. For my money we are the team to beat that is left in this tournament.

Kansas 77. Villanova 72.

@HighEliteMajor I love the idea of having more time to prepare. The 2016 game was on the short turn around and Nova’s game plan was tough for us.

That said, KU made that game very very tough for Nova and we were in control in the 2nd half at times. Nova was averaging 80-90 points a game in the tournament and we held them far below that clip. Even with Perry Ellis having possibly his worst post season game of his career, Wayne chucking airballs and a few foul calls not going our way we were still up 6 late with a 3 that rimmed out by Wayne that could have put us up 9. I think it is easy for us to forget that Bill put together one hell of a gameplan against Nova as well. The momentum got away from us late and it just didn’t work out and that Nova team went on to win the entire thing and sent numerous guys to the NBA. This is not a game that I look back on with the same sense of despair and anguish as the Michigan, VCU or Oregon losses. I expect a similarly great strategy from Bill tomorrow night as he had for Nova in 2016 and agree that we win by 5-7 points in a game that is in the 70’s.

RCJH.