2021-2022 Kansas Jayhawks Basketball Preview

With the 2021-2022 NCAA Division 1 basketball season getting closer, excitement among fans is growing everyday. This is especially the case for Kansas fans like myself. 

After ending the 2021 NCAA tournament on a disappointing note, head coach Bill Self got busy in the offseason. After losing 2020 Naismith Defensive Player of the Year Marcus Garrett, Bryce Thompson, Tristan Enaruna, and Tyon Grant-Foster, Self managed to bring in two of the biggest names in the transfer portal. These two names being Drake guard Joseph Yesufu and Arizona State guard Remy Martin. 

With new transfer rules in place, these players will be able to play with the team immediately and will not have to miss any playing time. 

The Jayhawks will start their season with the Champion’s Classic against unranked Michigan State on Nov. 9. Going off of their preseason exhibition games, their starting five will be something along the lines of Remy Martin, Dajuan Harris, Ochai Agbaji, Christian Braun, and David McCormick. Of course, this lineup is unlikely to remain past the first three games as forward Jalen Wilson will be returning from suspension due to an Oct. 31, DUI. 

Kansas will be led by a talented backcourt of Senior Remy Martin, who averaged 19.1 PPG at Arizona State last season, and Senior Ochai Ogbaji, who averaged 14 PPG. Redshirt Sophomore Jalen Wilson will also make a large impact once he returns from suspension. Arguably the most important piece to this team’s success will be Forward/Center David McCormick, who has shown great signs of improvement since his freshman year. Coming off the bench, the Jayhawks will likely have help from guards Dajuan Harris, Joseph Yesufu, and forwards Mitch Lightfoot, Cam Martin, and Zach Clemence. 

The Associated Press has the Jayhawks ranked 3rd out of the top 25 teams in the nation. This team is loaded with talent, and with a Hall of Fame coach like Bill Self, I hope to see them make a deep tournament run next March.