Late Night in the Phog was last Friday and that means that basketball season is here. The last few years with KU’s football team at least being exciting the wait for basketball wasn’t quite as bad. However, here we are this year, the first of the Turner Gill era, and everyone in the state of Kansas is clamoring for basketball season to start, and with good reason.
Bill Self has said that this could be the most athletic team KU has had since the 2007-2008 championship team. Not that they will be that good, but that athletic. Basically, every player on the court is versatile. From Elijah Johnson to Marcus Morris every player can play 2-3 positions (with the exception of Jeff Withey). This point was belabored even more when KU’s leading returning scorer Marcus Morris made the preseason Blue Ribbon College Basketball All-America Team (along with 2 other Big XII players, Jacob Pullen and Lacedarious Dunn).
The biggest question mark heading in to the season remains to be Josh Selby’s eligibility. Selby is being questioned by the NCAA for academic reasons. Word is the NCAA’s decision should come down the pike any day now, until then he can practice with the team, but it would be much easier for KU and all the fans to stomach if the #1 recruit in the country was completely cleared to play. If you ask the Jeff Report the NCAA is just trying to make an example out of Selby since he is the #1 recruit in the country and make sure all high level recruits in the future know that the NCAA will look into them. Hopefully, he will be cleared soon because with Selby, KU is a top 10 Final Four contending team. Without him, they are probably in the 14-18 range and just on the outside looking in of true Final Four contention (not that they couldn’t get there without Selby either, but they need him).
This also marks the first year in a while that KU comes in not the favorite in the Big XII. K-State has garnered more preseason nods as Big XII champ then KU and carries a higher national ranking according to ESPN.com (K-State #4 vs. KU #6). Stiff competition is also expected from Baylor, Mizzou and you never quite know what you’re getting with Texas. It should be a fun year in the Big XII.
Now, I might catch a lot of flack for saying this, but I like where K-State and Mizzou are headed. Both programs are run by good coaches (Martin a better recruiter than coach), both have been pulling in solid recruits lately, and look poised to finally break through. I like this because it means that with KU and Texas that is 5 legit teams that will be in the top 25 (usually), year in and year out. This heightens the profile of the conference and makes for much more fun games when KU’s two biggest rivals are actually good (which was not the case early-mid 2000’s).
All in all, I am excited for basketball season (of course) and it looks to be a good one coming up in the Big XII. Oh yeah, and I hope everyone just stomps Colorado and Nebraska giving them a swift kick in the behind on their way out the door.
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