***Official '22/'23 Defending Natl' Champion KU Men’s Basketball Repository Thread***

[cmh6476]

The Team:

https://kuathletics.com/sports/mbball/roster/

The Schedule:

https://kuathletics.com/sports/mbball/schedule/

[Prison Bitch]

Originally Posted by KC_Connection

The B12's Adj EM is 18.22 right now on KenPom (1st among any conference this year).

Only four leagues have been stronger in the 21-year KenPom era: the 2004 ACC at 20.32 (five top 15 teams), the 2017 B12 at 19.81, the 2022 B12 at 18.74, and the 2021 B10 was at 18.68.

Fair bet when Houston joins the conference next year that it will be the strongest in history.

But you’ll drop off #6 Texas

[O.city]

This is a really good KU team. It's not maybe one of the best in Self's tenure, but it's a really good one.

They don't have a traditional big. That's the only thing that makes people think it's not.

They've got upper class guards who are really good, a freshman wing who is really good, and a good bench.

Some of you guys are too nit picky.

[cmh6476]

I went to a bulls game tonight. Never been to an nba game before. I always wondered how different NBA to a college game would be. It was like being at a Royals game watching basketball, which was weird. Kind of glad we got what we got in kc.

[Chief Pagan]

Originally Posted by KC_Connection

Yeah, I think he'll [Dick] be all right [in the NBA]. He should bulk up a bit more, but he's sneaky long and athletic and really doesn't look out of place at all on one of the better defensive teams in the country right now (it also says a ton that Self played a freshman this much from day 1 and that has a lot to do with his defense).

I think his biggest issue as a player right now is his inability to create his own offense off the dribble, but he won't be asked to do that in the NBA. He could have a Klay Thompson-like ceiling at the next level if everything breaks right for him.

I wish him the best. Yes, he has started to get some shot blocking in so maybe there are some early signs. But I'm not really seeing the lateral quickness.

I would love to see him have a Klay Thompson like career. That would be cool.

[Buehler445]

Originally Posted by Chief Pagan

I wish him the best. Yes, he has started to get some shot blocking in so maybe there are some early signs. But I'm not really seeing the lateral quickness.

I would love to see him have a Klay Thompson like career. That would be cool.

He's got a long way to go to get to the physicality of prime Klay and certainly a long way to go to be the defender he was. Moreover, as quick as Grady's release is, Klays was faster.

He's got to make some enormous strides to be Klay Thompson, but he's got a lot of tools to work with at the next level.

[KC_Connection]

Originally Posted by Prison Bitch

But you’ll drop off #6 Texas

Didn't think UT and OU were leaving next year? Maybe that has changed/will change.

[KC_Connection]

Originally Posted by Chief Pagan

I wish him the best. Yes, he has started to get some shot blocking in so maybe there are some early signs. But I'm not really seeing the lateral quickness.

I would love to see him have a Klay Thompson like career. That would be cool.

Klay was nowhere near as good as Gradey at his age as a freshman at WSU. He didn't even enter the league until he was 21 and wasn't even really "Klay Thompson" until he was 24-25 years old.

With as young as he is, as good as his shot is and as long/athletic as he is, Dick's potential is enormous at the next level. Now I'm not sure he'll ever be a primary creator of his own offense at the next level, but Klay wasn't really that either. He's certainly got tons of time though.

[RaidersOftheCellar]

Originally Posted by O.city

This is a really good KU team. It's not maybe one of the best in Self's tenure, but it's a really good one.

They don't have a traditional big. That's the only thing that makes people think it's not.

They've got upper class guards who are really good, a freshman wing who is really good, and a good bench.

Some of you guys are too nit picky.

They’re good, but it’s more due to coaching than talent. It’s not a vintage KU team in terms of skill and athleticism. If the opponent has a defender that can take away Wilson’s drives, and if Dick can’t get open looks, they can struggle mightily for stretches.

I think they need to become a little more balanced in order to feel good about another deep run. MJ Rice feels like the missing piece. Not sure he’s going to emerge this year though. They need Pettiford to be more aggressive and they need one of the bigs off the bench to emerge.

[SithCeNtZ]

Originally Posted by O.city

This is a really good KU team. It's not maybe one of the best in Self's tenure, but it's a really good one.

They don't have a traditional big. That's the only thing that makes people think it's not.

They've got upper class guards who are really good, a freshman wing who is really good, and a good bench.

Some of you guys are too nit picky.

I'd argue it's more that every guy has a pretty obvious weakness. When everyone plays well you get great results because they all kind of need each other to be successful and enhance their good aspects. But when a couple of guys don't play well or we don't play with energy you see what can happen. 12 minute FG droughts or being outscored by 15 in a half at home. They probably have the widest variance team wise half to half and game to game than any other 1 seed type team we have had. That's what gives people pause.

[Prison Bitch]

Originally Posted by Buehler445

He's got a long way to go to get to the physicality of prime Klay and certainly a long way to go to be the defender he was. Moreover, as quick as Grady's release is, Klays was faster.

He's got to make some enormous strides to be Klay Thompson, but he's got a lot of tools to work with at the next level.

Dick is a good rebounder imo

[Lzen]

https://twitter.com/FansOfKU/status/...o7zSPZu-g&s=19

[PHOG]

Originally Posted by Lzen

https://twitter.com/FansOfKU/status/...o7zSPZu-g&s=19

571-38 between the 3.

[BWillie]

Rooting for Kentucky in this Tennessee game. Really don't want them to crater our schedule strength.

[George Liquor]

Another game on ESPN+, they're really killing this sport for me

[Pablo]

Originally Posted by BDj23

Another game on ESPN+, they're really killing this sport for me

You've got a kid so you've prolly already got Disney+. You can add on hulu and espn+ for like 7 bucks a month I think.

I use hulu to watch King of the Hill and Futurama and my wife watches some shows on there too so it's worth it. I'm sure you know all this shit, but I used espn+ a ton during college football and basketball season for non-KU stuff too.