Well the dust has settled, a new champion has been crowned, and I can finally move past KU's heartbreaking loss and look to next season. Maybe is the plight of the eternally optimistic fan but I am going to tell you why I have a more positive outlook on next season than this past one. It may sound crazy, but I will explain.
Here are the reasons that I will explain in more detail:
-Better Chemistry
-No Focal Point
-Possible Freshmen
-New Players Emerging
-Lower Expectations
Better Chemistry - It is no surprise to anyone to say that there were more than a few occasions where KU looked out of sync and almost as if they didn't really care or were disinterested. It was definitely obvious they lacked passion at times and if you are gonna win a National Championship, passion is needed just as much as talent.
People were leery about the addition of a talent like Xavier Henry last April. Henry had one and done written all over him and it was apparent how vocal and demonstrative his father was in his life, this all spelled for a locker room nightmare for one of the highest profile players to come to KU in a long time. The fears turned out to be realized between him and his brother disrupting the chemistry and flow the team had last year.
When you take the Henry situation and throw in the fact that it was Sherron and Cole's team and he was competing with it spelled certain disaster for KU. Too many players, not enough minutes and not enough familiarity. Add on to all this the suspension of Brady Morningstar to start the season and the troubles Marcus Morris and Tyshawn Taylor had early on and it was just not a good mix. Bill Self who is normally the master at finding the right rotation just couldn't seem to settle on one that worked this year. And it's a shame cause there was so much potential.
No Focal Point - This is one of the aspects of the 2008 team that I think will be a part of next year and really turn into a good thing. No player on that team averaged above 13 points a game and while any player could step up and take over if necessary, no player was expected to. This was a critical factor in KU's demise this season. Sherron had the ability to take over a game (see: Cornell, K-State round 1) but ran out of steam at the end of the season and had a lackluster Big XII tournament and had no presence in the NCAA tournament. Sherron is my all time favorite KU player so to see him go out like this was hard to watch.
Next year, this problem will be alleviated. It will be Marcus Morris' team next year, but no more than it was Brandon Rush's team in 2008. Morris will be the most talented but will not be expected to take over every game and be the center of the game plan. Plus, throw in a couple impact freshmen and KU will have a balanced solid team that should have a better direction/idea of who they are. This will be a testament to Self's coaching prowess if he can get this team to work together and have more passion than they did this past year.
Possible Freshmen - This is one area in which I am really excited. Right now KU is, by all accounts, the front runner for stud combo guard Josh Selby. Selby visited KU in February and promptly after his visit cancelled his visits to Kentucky and Connecticut. This spells good news and if he signs will be the highest rated recruit Self has ever attained, and if my recollection is correct the highest rated recruit since Paul Pierce. Selby is currently the #2 ranked PG in the country and the #4 overall prospect in the country. There is not the same buzz around Selby as there was around Henry about being a surefire one and done, matter of fact, there doesn't seem to be that buzz around many of the players in this year's class as there have been the past few years.
Another possible signing would be 5-star shooting guard Doron Lamb. Lamb hasn't decided yet and is up in the air by most accounts, however, he is making his declaration at the same venue and on the same date as Selby, so if Selby signs KU does this mean Lamb will follow? Possibly. Lamb is currently the #21 rated recruit in the country.
Adding these two will add a great amount of depth and talent and from what I know neither of them seem like the spotlight stealing type that Henry was.
New Players Emerging - This is another exciting area. It's always exciting to see what holdover players from the previous year step up and make their presence known. Who is it gonna be next year? Mario Little has some talent and presents some interesting options. By all accounts Travis Releford has improved greatly. Could Markieff make another solid leap and start to match his brother? Could Jeff Withey be a poor man's Dirk Nowitzki? All possibilities and it will be exciting to see which happens.
Lower Expectations - One thing KU always has to deal with is elevated expectations. Arguably the most storied program in basketball history, KU has a lot of history and the expectations are always high. However, rarely were they higher than they were this year and the lower expectations only opens the door for KU to come out relaxed and ready to have fun, play hard and win some basketball games. That was the difference with the championship run in 2008, once they reached the final four the pressure was off and they played loose and won the National Championship. I am not calling for a National Championship next year but just illustrating the point that with less pressure KU seems to thrive more. That has always been the case and most likely always will be in Lawrence.
Final Thoughts: Put all of these aspects together and what do you have? A perfect storm if you ask me. If all goes according to plan, KU will have better talent than the 2008-2009 team but with the same amount of chemistry. That is a scary thought. However, it will take another master stroke of coaching by Bill Self to get the right rotation and the distribute the minutes to the right people in the right amount. If he can do it, big things will be in store for KU next year.
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