Does KU Take Dip This Season? Lost 4 Of Top 6 Players; 2 Top 10 Recruits Incoming

[Darryl]

KU has been extremely consistent but there are some things to consider:

1. With starting PG Tharpe leaving, they will now have lost 4 of their top 6 players off a 25-10 team. Wiggins,
Embiid, Tharpe, and Tarik Black

2. They get back 47% scoring, 37% of their blocks, 53% rebounds, and 48% assists

3. They have 2 top 10 recruits coming in, Alexander and Oubre. They signed no one else, but are in the final 2
for top 75 recruit PG Graham

4. Jayhawk fans think their starting lineup will be:

PG 5-11 Mason or 6-0 Frankamp
SG 6-5 Selden
SF 6-6 Oubre
PF 6-8 Ellis
C 6-8 Alexander

5. Self has not excelled with very young teams or small teams. Kansas will be both next season, starting 1 junior, 2
sophomores, and 2 freshmen.

6. KU fans that have half a brain think UK will win by 15+ points when we play in early November. I agree...maybe more.

Darryl

[KentuckyWildcat]

No clue really but that is still a solid top 5. If they don't have a lot after that, then yes, they could be hurting.

[kingcat]

I think Alexander will be all that out of the gate.

[Philly Cat]

It took us about 30 games to gel. Maybe it takes that group a little longer, or maybe they hit some lucky last-minute shots and make it into the Final Four (like us) instead of running into a bad second-round match-up in March.

I'm just saying-- there isn't a whole lot that separates UK and KU over the relevant 2-year sample. That group may gel better around Alexander & Oubre than Wiggins/Embiid. The guys may come back and "get it" over the summer and roar into the year with a head of steam. Point is, we don't know, and I don't take them AT ALL for granted in November. Whoever is spouting that 15+ win stuff needs to stop. They will play us down to the wire.

[Edward100]

We will see.

[StuBleedsBlue2]

They lost, what 9 games last season, plus a 2nd round tourney loss. I'm not so sure how much more you fall from that. They'll be a top 25 team most, of not all year. They'll probably make it to the 2nd round again.

Barring injury, I think it will be on par, or better for them.

[dan_bgblue]

I think Alexander will be all that out of the gate.

Did not work out but I wanted him for UK over Lyles, just because I think he is all that.

[Darrell KSR]

Alexander is terrific.

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[DanISSELisdaman]

Alexander is terrific.

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Agree Darrell, Alexander is the real deal and will be great right out of the gate. He has that confidence factor going for him that few freshmen have. I also think Oubre will have a better freshman season than Wiggens had. If that's the case, they could be very good.

[dan_bgblue]

The way their roster is rounding out, I do not look for them to have a down season.