***** Official '23/'24 KU Men's Basketball Repository Thread *****

[cmh6476]

The Team:

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

The Schedule:

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

[SithCeNtZ]

Originally Posted by smithandrew051

Mgbako would be such a great get. Big time athlete and elite shooter.

Wouldn’t shock me if our starting lineup was:

Harris
Timberlake
Mgbako
KJ
Dickinson

Our bench would be:
Arterio
Elmarko
Marcus Adams
Udeh
Chris Johnson
McDowell

I’m assuming Zuby would be gone for sure.

That starting lineup and bench has some really varied skill sets and upside plus a good amount of experience and established players. If the team gels, that’s the best in the nation. No doubt.

Having 3 big time shot makers like Dickinson, Timberlake, and Mgbako would make life ridiculously easy for Harris and KJ. That two man game that Self ran with those two at times would kill it with all that space to operate.

Their question mark is still going to be who scores. I'm surprised everyone is so hyped about Timberlake considering we just watched a midmajor guy leave the program who never could quite get it going at this level consistently. Here's Timberlake's stats against the three power 5 schools he played the last two years(Ohio state, Clemson, Wake Forest): 15-43(34%) from 2, 5-19(26%) from 3. Obviously playing on a better team can help him and it's just three games, but it's not like this guy was just dominating everyone he played against and is a lock for 15-20 PPG. Then you look at Mgbako and Jackson and the other freshman and while there is unlimited upside there, there's also downside. Again, we just witnessed a sure fire all American who was sure to contribute to this team contribute absolutely nothing all year and he certainly isn't the first freshman to ever struggle. That could go any number of directions. The Texas guy averaged 5 ppg and again offers potential but it hasn't been proven.

I'd say this team has the highest variance on any self team. There's a world they are a dominant #1 team and a world where they kind of slide to a good but not elite #1 team and end up a 2 seed.

[RaidersOftheCellar]

Originally Posted by BigRedChief

Who is better? I know we are homers in here. But, it isn’t even close these days by any measuring stick.

The gap between Bill Self and the second-best coach in college basketball continues to widen. It’s his world right now.

— Rock Chalk Blog (@RockChalkBlog) May 4, 2023

Q

Pitino is the only one close. He’s just been irrelevant because he was stuck at Iona for a few years.

[Lzen]

Originally Posted by Mr. Plow

Sounds like you should be working instead of stealing time from your employer.

Well, you're probably right about that. It's been unusually slow for this time of year. /shrug

[Mr. Plow]

Originally Posted by Lzen

Well, you're probably right about that. It's been unusually slow for this time of year. /shrug

Just don't get run over. Need you on the grill next year at the tailgates.

[KC_Connection]

Originally Posted by SithCeNtZ

Their question mark is still going to be who scores. I'm surprised everyone is so hyped about Timberlake considering we just watched a midmajor guy leave the program who never could quite get it going at this level consistently. Here's Timberlake's stats against the three power 5 schools he played the last two years(Ohio state, Clemson, Wake Forest): 15-43(34%) from 2, 5-19(26%) from 3. Obviously playing on a better team can help him and it's just three games, but it's not like this guy was just dominating everyone he played against and is a lock for 15-20 PPG. Then you look at Mgbako and Jackson and the other freshman and while there is unlimited upside there, there's also downside. Again, we just witnessed a sure fire all American who was sure to contribute to this team contribute absolutely nothing all year and he certainly isn't the first freshman to ever struggle. That could go any number of directions. The Texas guy averaged 5 ppg and again offers potential but it hasn't been proven.

I'd say this team has the highest variance on any self team. There's a world they are a dominant #1 team and a world where they kind of slide to a good but not elite #1 team and end up a 2 seed.

With Hunter Dickinson on the floor taking up space and defensive attention as the primary offensive option, Timberlake is going to be wide open a lot. I'd expect his usage to decline and his efficiency to go up accordingly, so I don't know how meaningful his stats from any game last year will be when he's going to be in a much different role here.

[RaidersOftheCellar]

Originally Posted by SithCeNtZ

Their question mark is still going to be who scores. I'm surprised everyone is so hyped about Timberlake considering we just watched a midmajor guy leave the program who never could quite get it going at this level consistently. Here's Timberlake's stats against the three power 5 schools he played the last two years(Ohio state, Clemson, Wake Forest): 15-43(34%) from 2, 5-19(26%) from 3. Obviously playing on a better team can help him and it's just three games, but it's not like this guy was just dominating everyone he played against and is a lock for 15-20 PPG. Then you look at Mgbako and Jackson and the other freshman and while there is unlimited upside there, there's also downside. Again, we just witnessed a sure fire all American who was sure to contribute to this team contribute absolutely nothing all year and he certainly isn't the first freshman to ever struggle. That could go any number of directions. The Texas guy averaged 5 ppg and again offers potential but it hasn't been proven.

I'd say this team has the highest variance on any self team. There's a world they are a dominant #1 team and a world where they kind of slide to a good but not elite #1 team and end up a 2 seed.

Your idea of high variance is a team that has a floor as a 2 seed?

Scoring is not likely to be a problem. They'll have solid scoring ability at every position and also a few scorers on the bench. Obviously Harris is a pass-first PG, but his scoring ability has also gradually increased. Shot over 40% from three last year and scored in double figures in almost every game down the stretch.

[KC_Connection]

Self knows how to scheme to get bigs like Dickinson baskets. Always has. I'd expect this to be our best offensive team since Udoka was here (and perhaps better as that 2020 team had little shooting).

[smithandrew051]

Harris may well average close to 10 assists per game this year.

[smithandrew051]

Zuby to the portal.

Mgbako…please

[KC_Connection]

Originally Posted by smithandrew051

Zuby to the portal.

Mgbako…please

Should also try to get an 4th-5th year defensive rebounder specialist to replace him as well.

[RaidersOftheCellar]

Zuby we hardly knew ya…

Sucks, but at least it’s not Udeh. Although I’ve heard that may be a possibility. Damn, I hope not.

[BWillie]

Like Zubes but if the result is Dickinson you take it while fist pumping. Looks like Udeh wins.

[Prison Bitch]

Originally Posted by RaidersOftheCellar

Zuby we hardly knew ya…

Sucks, but at least it’s not Udeh. Although I’ve heard that may be a possibility. Damn, I hope not.

Udeh was the only reserve worth keeping. Glad Self saw it that way too

[BWillie]

Looks like I'm going to the Champions Classic...again.

[smithandrew051]

Originally Posted by BWillie

Looks like I'm going to the Champions Classic...again.

It’s back to UK this year, right?

That’ll be a big time matchup. They have a hell of a class coming in.