2022 Kansas Hoops Preview

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LawrenceJournal-World&

KUHOOPS PREVIEW

National champs are back in action

Hoops season is here, and the Kansas men’s basketball team has high expectations after last season’s national championship victory. Here’s a look at the Jayhawks’ biggest stars, toughest foes & more.

KUsports.compresent:
JalenWilson(left) &DajuanHarrisJr.(right)
2022-2023 edition
Nick Krug/ JournalWorld Photo
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PHOTO PRINTS AND NEWSPAPER PAGE REPRINTS NOW AVAILABLE LawrencePhotoStore.com BACK ON TOP! Jayhawks win it all with huge comeback against North Carolina Journal-World LAWRENCE ® CLASSIFIED 5B-7B COMICS 8A, 9A DATEBOOK 7B DEATHS 2A OPINION 4A PUZZLES 5A, 11A SPORTS 1B-5B, 8B TV LISTINGS 8B Chance of rain High: 70° Low: 41° Forecast, 8B Journal-World LAWRENCE LJWorld.com KUSports.com PUBLISHED SINCE 1891 $5.00 LJWorld.com Tuesday April 5 2022 VOL. 164 NO. 80 20 PAGES Nick Krug/Journal-World Photo THE KANSAS JAYHAWKS CELEBRATE THEIR 72-69 WIN OVER NORTH CAROLINA in the NCAA National Championship game on Monday at Caesars Superdome in New Orleans. More coverage of KU’s win: l Recap of KU’s come-from-behind win over UNC. Page 1B l A rollercoaster of emotions for Kansas fans. Page 3A l Ochai Agbaji is tourney’s most outstanding player. Page 3B MORE PHOTOS: Use the camera on your mobile phone to see more photos from our championship coverage on LJWorld.com. Most newer mobile phones can access QR codes; put the phone in camera mode and point the camera at the code. Some older mobile phones may require that you download a free QR Code Reader to access the code. SportS Lawrence ournaL-worLd l LJWorld.com/sports l Tuesday, April 5, 2022 B 2ND-HALF HEROES KANSAS 72 | UNC 69 KU overcomes 15-point hole for national title Famous faces show up for seniors’ last KU run By Matt Tait mtait@ljworld.com New OrleaNs — Thir- ty-four years to the day after winning the 1988 title, and 14 years after hanging another banner in 2008, the Kansas men’s basketball team added to its haul of championships on Monday night with a thrilling 72-69 victory over North Carolina at Caesars Superdome. In fitting fashion, this one, like so many other KU wins this season, came down to the Jay- hawks refusing to quit and fighting to the end. The win, which fea- tured Kansas coming back from 15 down at halftime with a sensation- al second half, capped off a 34-6 season and vaulted these Jayhawks into future conversations about the greatest teams and greatest runs ever to come through KU. It was the largest sec- ond-half comeback in NCAA title game history. It made Kansas coach Bill Self the first KU coach to win multiple national titles. And it came with Self paying homage to his first one in the process. By Matt Tait mtait@ljworld.com New OrleaNs — Four years ago, Kansas coach Bill Self brought in a four- man recruiting class that, as usual, featured some promising young players. Two of them were still with the KU program on Monday night, playing in the school’s first national title game in 10 years. “I’m thrilled for them,” Self said. “When we re- cruited the senior class, the headliners were not David McCormack and Ochai Ag- baji. They were Devon Dot- son and Quentin Grimes.” Dotson left for the NBA after two seasons. Grimes left for Houston after one, and Agbaji and McCor- mack were left to hold it down for that group. As a result, the two grew closer and learned how to carry the torch as KU upperclass- men tasked with teaching incoming youngsters and veteran transfers the KU way of doing things. “I’m extremely happy for those guys and what they’ve given us,” Self said of Agbaji and McCormack, who both leave KU as 1,000-point scorers. While the two seniors technically could re- turn to KU for one more season because of the COVID-19 exemption, Monday’s game likely NOTEBOOK Nick Krug/Journal-World Photo KANSAS FORWARD DAVID MCCORMACK (33) HOISTS A PIECE OF THE NET as the Jayhawks celebrate their 72-69 win over North Carolina. 4661 W. 6TH LAWRENCE, KS 785.830.9090 www.bigotires.com Mon - Fri 7:30am-6pm Sat 7:30am-5pm Sun 9am-4pm On select in-stock sets of four Mesa AP3, Mesa HT, Cooper® Endeavor, and Cooper® Endeavor Plus brand tires. Installation charges extra; required on all four tires. Disposal fees extra and up to 10% shop fee based on nondiscounted regular retail price, not to exceed $35, where permitted. See store for pricing. Eligibility may vary. Not valid with other offers.At participating locations. No cash value.Valid 4/4/2022-4/24/2022. Expires 4/24/2022 Expires 4/24/2022 Expires 4/24/2022 TIRE ROTATION AND BRAKE INSPECTION FREEFREE SAVE $10 ON ANY OIL CHANGE ALIGNMENT CHECK BUY 3 GET FREE1 ON SELECT SETS OF IN-STOCK TIRES WITH INSTALLATION PURCHASE VALID 4/4/22 4/24/22 NOTEBOOK, 4B Nick Krug/Journal-World Photo THE JAYHAWKS CELEBRATE THEIR 72-69 WIN OVER NORTH CAROLINA in the NCAA National Championship game on Monday at Caesars Superdome in New Orleans. HEROES, 2B

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Stories to watch

After winning a national championship, Kansas has a target on its back, and players are stepping into new roles. Page 4

The biggest games

Mizzou, Kentucky, Duke and more. Be sure to circle these games on your calendar.

Page 10

Big 12 predictions

As usual, the Jayhawks’ conference slate is full of formidable foes. How will this year’s race turn out? Page 9

Meet the team

KU’s roster has some old friends and some new faces. Get to know the 2022-23 Jayhawks. Page 15

KU’s schedule

Check out the complete schedule for the 2022-23 Kansas men’s basketball season.

Page 32

KU hoops preview Page 2 • Lawrence Journal-World & KUsports.com

Bigger roles for Harris & Wilson, a loaded freshman class & more: Here are the 2022-23 season’s biggest storylines.

mtait@ljworld.com

For the first time since 2009, the Kansas men’s basketball program will open a season as the defending national champions.

While many of the players who delivered the 2022 title are no longer in Lawrence, there are enough players left who were a part of last season’s championship to make a legitimate run at defending the title.

KU
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hoops preview
Lawrence Journal-World & KUsports.com
> STORIES, PAGE 5
Nick Krug/ Journal-World Photo Jalen Wilson, left, and Dajuan Harris Jr., right, are expected to be this team’s biggest leaders.

Stories

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Doing so will not be easy. In addition to having an even-bigger target on their backs than most years, the Jayhawks again will play one of the country’s toughest schedules, highlighted by the night-in-and-nightout dog fights in the Big 12 Conference in January, February and March.

But KU has two starters back from the team that won it all in 2022 — Jalen

Wilson and Dajuan Harris Jr. — and both are eager to take on even bigger roles this season.

“We’ve just got to come in and lead,” Harris said this summer. “I’ve got to be one of the biggest leaders on the team.”

The Jayhawks are expected to be a top-10 team in the preseason rankings,

and they’ll be trying to become the first team to win back-to-back championships since Florida in 2007 and just the second program to do so since 1992, when Duke won it all in back-to-back seasons.

While that should make the players and coaches hungrier than ever, it also could turn up the pressure

on Kansas to perform at a high level early on and throughout the season.

How this roster handles that pressure will go a long way toward determining how good their chances are, but Harris and his teammates believe the Jayhawks have one key advantage working in their favor.

“I think we’ve got the best coaching staff in the nation,” Harris said. “They’re going to make us come in and work every day.”

> STORIES, PAGE 6

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“I think we’ve got the best coaching staff in the nation.”
— Dajuan Harris Jr.

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Here’s a look at four other storylines worth following this season.

How good can this defense be?

The Jayhawks are long, athletic and led by a killer instinct that comes with defending a crown. Add to that the fact that KU coach Bill Self’s teams always emphasize defense as a big part of their

KU hoops preview

identity, and you could be looking at something special here.

Fans already know how important defense is to Self. And they also know that Harris is as much of a defensive pest as there is in the country. But this team’s defensive identity has a lot more to it than that.

The addition of Kevin McCullar Jr. immediately made KU one of the most dangerous defensive teams in the conference — if not the country — because of McCullar’s reputation as one of the

top defenders in the Big 12 throughout his career.

His length, size and ability to guard multiple positions bring a Marcus Garrett-like quality to the roster, and he and Harris should be a 1-2 defensive punch that can stand up against anyone in the nation.

Their commitment to defense — and Self demanding it — likely will rub off on their teammates, as well.

Wilson has improved defensively throughout his career and has a

competitive mentality on big possessions. And this Kansas roster is full of players who can make up for a misstep here or a bad read there with their raw athleticism.

Bobby Pettiford Jr. and Joseph Yesufu should provide defensive intensity both behind and next to Harris in the backcourt, and the Jayhawks’ ability to rotate fresh players into the game — if desired — could make this defense pretty nasty.

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Stories
> STORIES, PAGE 7

Stories

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What happens at the 5?

All signs point to Zach Clemence getting the first crack at the 5 spot for the Jayhawks, but Self recently said freshmen Ernest Udeh Jr. (6-foot-11, 240 pounds) and Zuby Ejiofor (6-foot-9, 235 pounds) both had solid preseasons and were ahead of where the KU coaching staff expected them to be.

That’s a great sign for KU’s depth, but Clemence has more experience than either of those players, and there’s plenty to like about his game and how it fits with this Kansas team.

Clemence is tall and long and has put on a fair amount of muscle and added strength. He’s also not afraid to mix it up inside and uses his tenacity to overcome what he lacks in terms of true size.

The bonus of using Clemence in this spot is his ability as a 3-point shooter. The 6-foot-10, 225-pound

sophomore has a pure shooting stroke and is not shy about letting it fly.

Last season, that occasionally was viewed as him being a little overzealous given the talent around him on the floor. This season, he should have more opportunities to pull the trigger within the flow of the offense, and his athleticism could create a real matchup problem for KU’s opponents.

Forward Cam Martin (6foot-9, 230 pounds) could be a factor here, as could sophomore KJ Adams,

who gained experience playing the 5 last season.

The idea is for Adams to play more on the perimeter, though, so it’ll be up to those four players to show whether they can hold it down inside. If they can, the rest of the pieces will easily fall in around them. If they can’t, Self may have to get creative and look to play smaller, faster lineups, with guys like Adams and possibly even Wilson playing as the biggest Jayhawk on the floor.

> STORIES, PAGE 8

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Stories

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Freshman firepower

It remains to be seen just how big their roles will be, but KU’s freshman class is pretty loaded.

Gradey Dick and MJ Rice are both capable of starting, and Udeh joined them at the McDonald’s All-American Game last spring.

Those three players, along with Ejiofor, should all take a similar approach

to their freshman seasons — play hard, do what the coaches ask and find a way to help Kansas win.

Dick is the best shooter in the group, and his outside shot could be huge for this team as it looks to replace the 3-point shooting of Ochai Agbaji. But Dick is much more than just a shooter. He’s a wildly underrated athlete who has great size and good vision.

Rice may be the best scorer in the group, and he is capable of getting buckets at all three levels.

His motor, defense and outside shot will all be keys to him getting major minutes. If those are sharp, Rice has a chance to be a big-time factor.

Udeh and Ejiofor have been a little overshadowed by the talent and attention of the two wings in the class, but both have big potential, and they should be able to contribute early, playing at least the same kinds of roles that Clemence and Adams played as freshmen and, at best, being regular rotation guys.

Infractions case still looms

As of the end of September, there was still no resolution in KU’s infractions case — and not even a timeline for when it might be resolved.

What we do know is that the Independent Accountability Resolution Process, the panel that is handling the case, will be dissolved as soon as it finishes with KU and the other schools whose cases it’s resolving.

> STORIES, PAGE 14

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( in under 12 words )

Bears play mean defense and have country’s best backcourt — and more.

Jayhawks still have enough to win big and will be right there.

In what was another thrilling conference race, the Kansas Jayhawks won the 2021-22 Big 12 title with the help of a couple of huge victories late in the season.

That springboarded the Jayhawks to their memorable postseason run, and there are enough players returning who were a part of that to make Kansas a threat to win it again in 2023.

Here’s an early glance at the Big 12 teams — in 12 or fewer words apiece.

Three starters return; Year 2 for Beard; reinforcements make Longhorns tough.

Frogs have much more than Mike Miles Jr., and they know it.

All about offense here. Defense good enough to contend for the crown.

Three starters return, and the postseason’s in play again. They’ll be ready.

Lost a lot in backcourt and will rely on transfers inside. Patience.

Another transfer parade with talent, but losing Brockington & Hunter hurts.

New coach, new culture, new roster. Color me intrigued.

Losing Umoja Gibson’s playmaking & shotmaking will be a huge blow.

Lawrence Journal-World & KUsports.com • Page 9
KU hoops preview
Baylor KU Texas TCU Texas Tech Oklahoma State West Virginia Iowa State Kansas State Oklahoma

The Kansas men’s basketball program is certainly used to being one of the teams circled on its opponents’ schedules each year. Opposing fans love the anticipation and excitement

of trying to take down a blueblood. The players and coaches on the other side know they’ll learn a lot about where they stand by squaring off against Bill Self and company. And the Jayhawks always seem to provide a pretty significant revenue and ratings boost for whoever they’re playing.

> GAMES, PAGE 11

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AP File Photo Kansas coach Bill Self

Games

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This season, with Kansas playing as the defending national champs, the Jayhawks likely will get even more attention than they already do. That’s saying something for one of college basketball’s top programs, which routinely assembles as tough a schedule as there is in college basketball.

Here’s a quick look at the five most compelling games on the Jayhawks’ schedule this season.

Kansas at Missouri

Dec. 10 at Mizzou Arena

Last season, at Allen Fieldhouse, KU clobbered Mizzou in the first showdown between the bitter

border rivals since 2012. And that means Round 2 of the renewed series should be even more intense this season. For one, the game is in Columbia, Missouri, this time, and the Tiger fans are sure to make KU’s stay as unpleasant as possible. Beyond that, the Tigers likely will have a better roster and a tighter team under first-year coach Dennis Gates, and those who were around last year will be extra motivated by the 102-65 beatdown in Lawrence. KU leads the all-time series with Mizzou 17595, and the Jayhawks have won 12 of the past 14 meetings between the two.

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> GAMES, PAGE 12 Journal-World File Photo The Kansas student section looks to disrupt a Missouri free throw on Dec. 11, 2021, at Allen Fieldhouse.

Games

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Kansas vs. Duke

Nov. 15 at Gainbridge

Fieldhouse in Indianapolis

It won’t be the Blue Devils’ first game of the post-Mike Krzyzewski era, but it will be their first big game without Coach K. And it will come on as big of a college basketball stage as you can find in the month of November — the Champions Classic. At the annual college hoops

KU hoops preview

kickoff extravaganza, which will also feature Kentucky and Michigan State in the other game, this year’s clash between KU and Duke should be billed as a battle of Duke’s five-star freshmen against KU’s returning veterans. Early in the season, the edge often goes to experience, but Duke’s class is stellar and the game will not be short on hype.

Kansas at Kentucky

Jan. 28, 2023, at Rupp Arena

This is sort of the opposite of that Missouri

game in that it was Kentucky that clobbered Kansas during the 202122 season, 80-62 in Lawrence. That game played a huge role in Kansas turning things around and making a run to the national title. And this season’s game — which is part of the latest edition of the SEC-Big 12 Challenge — will attract just as much attention as any of the games between these two bluebloods in the past decade or so. Kansas and Kentucky will enter the

season ranked first and second all-time on college basketball’s win list, and both of them will likely have top-10 teams for much of the 2022-23 season.

Kansas is 3-2 against Kentucky in its last five meetings, and this year’s matchup will be the eighth time in the past nine seasons that the two powerhouse programs have played each other in the regular season.

> GAMES, PAGE 13

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Kansas vs. Omaha

Nov. 7 at Allen Fieldhouse

KU will likely be favored by 20 or more points, and the Mavericks don’t seem to pose much of a real threat. But it will still be a big game in that it will mark the official start of KU’s title defense. With a deep and talented roster that features a good blend of veterans and newcomers, Kansas has a legitimate

shot to make a run this season. The journey will start with this game, and it will also feature the first outing in the college careers of Gradey Dick and MJ Rice as well as the KU career of Kevin McCullar Jr.

Kansas vs. K-State

Jan. 31 at Allen Fieldhouse

New K-State coach Jerome Tang is no stranger to facing the Jayhawks or coming to Allen Fieldhouse. As a Baylor assistant from 2003 to 2022, Tang has had his share of memorable run-ins with

Kansas. This one, however, will be one of his first as the head coach of KU’s in-state rival, and the Jayhawks’ fan base should be ready and willing to make it a rough one

for Tang. Regardless of how the game goes, Tang appears to be a great hire by K-State and a perfect fit for this rivalry.

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Stories

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That news was announced this summer, and that makes this whole picture even murkier. As of late September, there was still no known date for KU’s hearing with the IARP, which all but assured that the case, which includes allegations of five Level 1 infractions, a charge of head coach responsibility and a charge of lack of institutional control, would drag into yet another season.

For the most part, the lingering case has not been much of a distraction for any of the recent Kansas teams, and there’s no reason to think it will be for this one, either.

It remains to be seen what an in-season ruling, if it were to come, would do to KU’s season. But Self and others with knowledge of the process have said in the past that they were confident whatever penalties are handed down — if any — would not impact the current season.

All rulings by the IARP are final and not subject to appeal, which is different from rulings handed down by the more traditional NCAA Committee on Infractions. But at this point, with the IARP soon to be disappearing, it’s hard to know exactly what will happen after a ruling is announced.

The long and short of it for KU fans is this: It’s probably not something to spend too much time worrying about, but you shouldn’t forget about it, either.

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He’ll probably have the Wildcats playing much better basketball in the years ahead, and he could very well fall in love with the pageantry of a rivalry like the Sunflower Showdown.

Honorable mention:

• KU vs. Indiana on Dec. 17

The Hoosiers should be ranked and still generate a little buzz.

In the Big 12, those games — both at home and away — will be as big as any when it comes to the league race.

• KU vs. Dayton on Nov. 24 — if they meet in the Battle 4 Atlantis in the Bahamas

These two programs have a recent history of some classic confrontations in early-season tournaments.

KU hoops preview Page 14 • Lawrence Journal-World & KUsports.com
• KU vs. Baylor, Texas and Texas Tech at home and away Journal-World File Photo Big Jay pumps up the crowd on Feb. 5, 2022, at Allen Fieldhouse.

MEET THE TEAM

Newcomers, experienced veterans, and some old players stepping into bigger roles — Kansas’ roster has all kinds of talent. We’ll help you get to know the players a bit better.

KU hoops preview Lawrence Journal-World & KUsports.com • Page 15
Player profiles by Matt Tait l mtait@ljworld.com

Redshirt junior guard

JALEN WILSON

#10 • 6-foot-8 • 225 pounds

Hometown: Denton, Texas

Fun fact:

After testing his NBA draft stock for the second year in a row, Wilson had plenty of reasons to return to Kansas. The most important among them, though, were his desire to deliver a complete season, his hope of showcasing better 3-point shooting, his desire to be an elite leader and the excitement of helping KU defend its national title.

Last season:

Wilson averaged 11.1 points and 7.4 rebounds for the Jayhawks during the 2021-22 season and was just a couple of rebounds shy of averaging a double-double throughout the NCAA Tournament.

Bill Self says:

“Jalen has terrific versatility, has gotten better and is hungrier than he’s ever been.”

Journal-World File Photo

Redshirt junior guard

DAJUAN HARRIS JR.

#3 • 6-foot-1 • 170 pounds

Hometown: Columbia, Missouri

Fun fact:

The 2022-23 Kansas basketball schedule falls just right for Harris to return to his hometown of Columbia this year. Not only will he lead the Jayhawks against the Tigers in a rematch of last year’s Border War revival, but he’ll be doing it against lifelong friend Isiaih Mosley, who is also from Columbia and transferred to Mizzou in the offseason. The game is slated for Dec. 10 at Mizzou Arena.

Last season:

A member of the 2022 allBig 12 defensive team and an honorable mention all-league pick, Harris led the Big 12 in assist-to-turnover ratio (2.81:1) while ranking 14th nationally. Although he’s not known for his scoring, Harris had some games where his shots made all the difference, none bigger than the gamewinner he hit at home against Iowa State.

Bill Self says:

“Better than ever.”

17 Journal-World File
Photo

Redshirt senior guard

KEVIN McCULLAR

#15 • 6-foot-6 • 210 pounds

Hometown: San Antonio, Texas

Fun fact:

McCullar’s high school coach, Rodney Clark, compared his path at Texas Tech to that of Marcus Garrett at Kansas.

Like Garrett did for the Jayhawks, Clark said McCullar found his way onto the floor early in his career because of his willingness to play defense and do whatever other little things the team needed.

Last season:

In his fourth season at Texas Tech, McCullar averaged 10.1 points and 4.6 rebounds per game and also led the Red Raiders in assists and steals, with 3.1 assists and 1.4 steals per game.

Bill Self says:

“This dude knows how to play, he’s advanced defensively and he’s just got to get where he can knock down shots consistently.”

AP File Photo

Junior guard

JOSEPH YESUFU

#1

6 feet

180 pounds

Hometown: Bolingbrook, Illinois

Fun fact:

A career 33.1% 3-point shooter, Yesufu made more 3-pointers during the 2020-21 season at Drake (48) than he attempted last season at Kansas (42). He hit 48 of 125 attempts that season for a 38.4% clip from downtown, and the tenacious guard, who is regarded as one of the top athletes on the team, could play a big part in helping Kansas make up for the 154 3-point makes and 384 3-point attempts that left the roster with

the departures of Ochai Agbaji and Christian Braun to the NBA.

Last season:

Although he struggled at times to find his role or consistent playing time, Yesufu still averaged 9.2 minutes per game for the Jayhawks last season while playing in 39 of the Jayhawks’ 40 games with one start.

Bill Self says:

“I expect a lot. He’s more comfortable, we need him to score the ball and I think we’re going to make that his role. He needs to score for us.”

Journal-World File Photo

Sophomore forward

ZACH CLEMENCE

#21

6-foot-10

225 pounds

Hometown: San Antonio, Texas

Fun fact:

Despite growing up in the San Antonio area and playing two seasons of prep basketball in Kansas, Clemence’s roots are in Pleasanton, Texas, a town of 11,000 people that dubs itself “the birthplace of the cowboy.”

Last season:

Clemence missed nearly half of the season because of injuries, but he made a memorable impact

when he was able to play. Fearless down low and willing to pull the trigger whenever he caught it above the 3-point line, Clemence brought a lot of fire and passion to the floor even while playing in just 24 games and averaging 4.9 minutes per game.

Bill Self says:

“Has moxie, we know that he can make big plays in the game, but he still has to settle into a role where he’s not as emotional. He’s not going to be playing two or three minutes at a time; he needs to be able to play significant minutes each game.”

Journal-World File Photo

Sophomore guard

BOBBY

PETTIFORD JR.

#0

6-foot-1

190 pounds

Hometown: Durham, North Carolina

Fun fact:

Bill Self has referred to Pettiford as “the next great guard” at the University of Kansas many times since Pettiford’s arrival. Pettiford plays with a style similar to past KU point guards Frank Mason III and Devon Dotson and is equally as tough as either of those former All-Americans.

Last season:

After flashing early, with five points and two assists in 11 minutes in the

season-opening victory over Michigan State, Pettiford ran into injury issues and played in just 13 more games all season, none of them after Feb. 14. In a few of those, he was just filling a one- or two-possession role to give someone a breather.

Bill Self says:

“The jury’s still out. He hasn’t been healthy until now, but he’s healthy now and he’ll have a great opportunity to make an impact on our team.”

Journal-World File Photo

MARTIN

Southern State and Jackson-

After transferring to KU from Division II MSSU, Martin chose to redshirt the 2021-22 season and played a role as a practice player but did not appear in any games.

“He’s in the best shape of his life, he’s moving well and he just has to be able to

JournalWorld File
Photo

Sophomore forward

KJ ADAMS

#24

6-foot-7

220 pounds

Hometown: Austin, Texas

Fun fact:

Despite averaging just 4.8 minutes per game in the 37 games he played as a freshman last season, Adams was on the floor for the final defensive possession of the season, when North Carolina needed a 3-pointer to tie in the national title game in New Orleans. Capable of playing multiple positions, Adams often was brought in for situations just like that, at the end of halves or when the team needed a stop and could use his size and athleticism to switch assignments at all five positions.

Last season:

Adams scored 38 points and grabbed 30 rebounds in limited minutes a season ago despite never being more than the fifth option on the floor. Several of those points came off of rebounds, as Adams often used his high motor and skills to be in the right place at the right time.

Bill Self says:

“To us, he’s like a positionless player, but how do you keep him off the court?”

JournalWorld File Photo

Redshirt freshman guard

KYLE CUFFE JR.

#5 • 6-foot-2 • 180 pounds

Hometown: Harlem, New York

Fun fact:

His dad, Kyle Cuffe Sr., was a standout forward at St. John’s and attended the same high school in New York — Rice High — as former Kansas point guard Russell Robinson.

Last season:

After reclassifying and graduating high school early to get to Kansas, Cuffe chose to redshirt

the 2021-22 season. Prior to that, he averaged 25 points per game during an abbreviated junior season at Blair Academy after averaging 16 points per game as a sophomore.

Bill Self says:

“He’s one of our best athletes, and he’ll fight for minutes.”

Freshman guard

GRADEY DICK

#4

6-foot-8

205 pounds

Hometown: Wichita

Fun fact:

Dick has by far the biggest social media presence of anyone on the roster. In addition to Instagram and Twitter, Dick frequently makes videos on TikTok. He signed with WME Sports to represent his non-KU-related name, image and likeness opportunities, an area where his social media savvy is likely to come in handy.

Last season:

Dick is a homegrown Kansas player who played two

seasons at Sunrise Christian in Bel Aire after starting his prep career at Wichita Collegiate. He was named the national Gatorade Player of the Year for the 2021-22 season. He also earned McDonald’s All-American honors and was a go-to scorer for Sunrise during its stellar season.

Bill Self says:

“He can get a shot off against anyone, he’s been terrific in the preseason and we’re going to need him to stretch the defense.”

Lawrence Journal-World & KUsports.com • Page 25
Journal-World File Photo

Freshman guard

MJ RICE

#11

6-foot-5

220 pounds

Hometown: Durham, North Carolina

Fun fact:

Although he was originally from Henderson, North Carolina, and current KU teammate Bobby Pettiford was from Durham, the two spent part of their youth living just down the street from one another in Creedmore, North Carolina. Pettiford said this summer that the two should have gone to high school together. But it took them until they reached KU to become teammates.

Last season:

After starting his prep career in his hometown,

Rice went on to Oak Hill Academy for the 2020-21 season and then to Pro lific Prep last season, where he averaged 20.1 points, 5.3 rebounds and 2.3 assists per game for the same program that pro duced former Jay hawk Josh Jackson.

Bill Self says:

“He’s been a little bit hot and cold since he arrived, but as he’s gotten in better shape, you’re starting to see the talent.”

KU hoops preview Page 26 • Lawrence Journal-World & KUsports.com

Freshman forward

ERNEST UDEH JR.

#23 • 6-foot-11 • 240 pounds

Hometown: Orlando, Florida

Fun fact:

Stop us if you’ve heard this one before: KU’s roster features a big man who likes to play the drums. It remains to be seen if Udeh can deliver the same type of career as KU’s last drum-playing big man, David McCormack. However, like McCormack, Udeh lists listening to music, making beats and playing the drums among his favorite hobbies.

Last season:

One of three 2022 McDonald’s All-Americans at KU, Udeh averaged 13.1 points and 9.2 rebounds per game in 2021-22 for Dr. Phillips High School. That followed a junior season in which he averaged 10.1 points, 9.8 rebounds and 1.9 blocks while helping lead Dr. Phillips to a state title.

Bill Self says:

“Pleasant surprise. He will play minutes for us immediately.”

Freshman forward

ZUBY EJIOFOR

#35 • 6-foot-9 • 235 pounds

Hometown: Garland, Texas

Fun fact:

Although he was born in Dallas, Ejiofor’s family has Nigerian roots, making him the latest KU player with connections to the African country. Former KU All-American Ochai Agbaji’s father was from Nigeria, former KU big man Udoka Azubuike grew up in Nigeria, and Ejiofor’s current teammate Joseph Yesufu’s surname is Nigerian.

Last season:

With good size, athleticism and an elite motor,

Ejiofor averaged 20.6 points, 12.4 rebounds and 3.4 blocks per game during his junior and senior seasons at Garland High. That included 21.7 points, 13 rebounds, 3.9 blocks and 1.9 steals per game during the 2021-22 season alone.

Bill Self says:

“You could put him and Ernest together. Both are ahead of what we anticipated their schedule to be.”

Photo courtesy of Missy Minear/ Kansas Athletics
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Meet the Jayhawks’ walk-ons

Redshirt

freshman forward

Dillon Wilhite

Jersey number: 22

Height: 6-foot-9

Weight: 240 pounds

Hometown: San Diego, California

Freshman guard

Wilder Evers

Jersey number: 12

Height: 6-foot-3

Weight: 190 pounds

Hometown: Birmingham, Alabama

Senior guard

Michael Jankovich

Jersey number: 20

Height: 6-foot-5

Weight: 190 pounds

Hometown: Dallas, Texas

Sophomore guard

Charlie McCarthy

Jersey number: 13

Height: 6-foot-2

Weight: 195 pounds

Hometown: Rancho Mirage, California

KU hoops preview Lawrence Journal-World & KUsports.com • Page 31
JournalWorld File Photo

2022-23 KU men’s basketball schedule

Nov. 3

vs. Pittsburg State (exhibition), 7 p.m. on ESPN+

Nov. 7

vs. Omaha, 7 p.m. on ESPN+

Nov. 10 vs. North Dakota State, 7 p.m. on ESPN+

Nov. 15 vs. Duke, 8:30 p.m. on ESPN (Champions Classic)

Nov. 18

vs. Southern Utah, 7 p.m. on ESPN+

Nov. 23

vs. NC State, 11 a.m. on ESPN (Battle 4 Atlantis)

Nov. 24

vs. Dayton or Wisconsin, TBD (Battle 4 Atlantis)

Nov. 25

vs. TBD (Battle 4 Atlantis)

Dec. 1

vs. Seton Hall, 8 p.m. on ESPN (Big 12/Big East Battle)

Dec. 10 at Missouri, 4:15 p.m. on ESPN

Dec. 17 vs. Indiana, 11 a.m. on ESPN2

Dec. 22

vs. Harvard, 6 p.m. on ESPN2

Dec. 31

vs. Oklahoma State, 1 p.m. on CBS

Jan. 3 at Texas Tech, 8 p.m. on ESPN2

Jan. 7 at West Virginia, 5 p.m. on ESPN+

Jan. 10

vs. Oklahoma, 8 p.m., TV TBD

Jan. 14

vs. Iowa State, 3 p.m. on ESPN+

Jan. 17

at Kansas State, 6 p.m., TV TBD

Jan. 21 vs. TCU, noon on CBS

Jan. 23 at Baylor, 8 p.m. on ESPN

Jan. 28

at Kentucky, 7 p.m. on ESPN

Jan. 31

vs. Kansas State, 7 p.m. on ESPN+

Feb. 4 at Iowa State, 11 a.m., TV TBD

Feb. 6 vs. Texas, 8 p.m. on ESPN

Feb. 11 at Oklahoma, noon on CBS

Feb. 14 at Oklahoma State, 8 p.m., TV TBD

Feb. 18

vs. Baylor, 3 p.m. on ESPN

Feb. 20 at TCU, 8 p.m. on ESPN

Feb. 25

vs. West Virginia, 3 p.m., TV TBD

Feb. 28

vs. Texas Tech, 8 p.m., TV TBD

March 4 at Texas, TBD

March 8-11

Big 12 tournament, Kansas City, Mo.

March 16-19

NCAA Tournament first and second rounds, TBD

March 23-26

NCAA Tournament regionals, TBD

April 1-3

NCAA Tournament Final Four, Houston, Texas

Page 32 •
KU hoops preview
Lawrence Journal-World & KUsports.com
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