Kansas will stay competitive
With the start of the college basketball just a few weeks away, there is excitement galore. All across America there is optimism with the start of a new season.
Out in Lawrence, Kansas, there is still the thrill of winning the national championship over Memphis. Let's look at Bill Self's defending national champion.
This is a program that lost six big-time players from the title team: Brandon Rush, Mario Chalmers, Darrell Arthur, Russell Robinson, Darnell Jackson, Sasha Kaun. It reminds me of what happened at Florida, after going back-to-back cutting down the nets and picking up the gold trophy as champions.
The Gators lost Joakim Noah, Al Horford, Corey Brewer, Taurean Green, Lee Humphrey and Chris Richard. Billy Donovan put together a group of young kids the scrapped and clawed and won 24 games and got better and better.
Something tells me the Jayhawks are going to find a way to win. This is a program with great tradition and fan base. Self returns two key veterans: Sherron Collins on the perimeter and big man Cole Aldrich on the inside. These two guys have the opportunity to step up and lead the defending national champions.
Kansas also has a deep recruiting class coming in, one of the best in the nation. For Self, it is a matter of reloading. Yes, these newcomers will make mistakes and they will learn from them. There is an adjustment moving into a big-time program, added pressures for sure. The diaper dandies coming in certainly have a lot of talent.
The Jayhawks' list of newcomers includes the Morris Twins from out of Philadelphia -- 6-9 center Markieff and 6-8 Marcus; junior guards Mario Little and Tyrone Appleton; and diaper dandy guards Travis Releford and Tyshawn Taylor.
It will be exciting as the fans chant rock, chalk, Jayhawk. Some teams will try to take advantage of the youth and inexperience, but Kansas will win its share of games. There is enough talent and skill, and Self will blend this team into a solid unit. The fans will certainly help as it will be rocking and rolling in Lawrence, Kansas.
Competing in the Big 12 is tough. Texas, Oklahoma and Baylor are all loaded. Teams like Texas A&M, Oklahoma State and Missouri will be difficult tests. Even with so many newcomers and a competitive conference, I still see Kansas making it to the big dance.
