No. 1: 2009-2010 Team Preview: Kansas Jayhawks

2008-2009 Record: 27-8, 14-2 Big XII (1st)

Key Losses: None

Key Returners: Sherron Collins (18.9 ppg, 5.0 apg), Cole Aldrich (14.9 ppg, 11.1 rpg, 2.7 bpg), Tyshawn Taylor 9.7 ppg, 3.0 apg)

Newcomers: Xavier Henry, Jeff Withey, CJ Henry, Thomas Robinson, Elijah Johnson

Sherron Collins and Cole Aldrich both may be first team all americans this year.
(photo credit: UMHoops)

Just one year removed from winning a national title and losing his top six players, Bill Self has completely retooled his roster. The Jayhawks are absolutely loaded this season. How loaded? Just take a look at the 12th, 13th, and 14th men on their roster. Travis Releford, a sophomore, was a top 75 recruit out of Kansas, picking the Jayhawks over the likes of Texas, UConn, and North Carolina. Jeff Withey, a redshirt freshman who will be eligible at the end of the 2009 semester after transferring from Arizona, was a top 50 recruit in 2008. CJ Henry was one of the best prospects of the 2005 class before choosing to play baseball in the Yankees organization. Those three guys would start for a number of Big XII schools, and may not even sniff the court for Kansas this year.

The biggest reason for the Jayhawks being the consensus number one team in the country is the inside-outside combination of Sherron Collins and Cole Aldrich. Aldrich may be the most dominating presence in the paint this season. At 6'11" with the wingspan of a pterodactyl, he can control the glass and is one of the nation's best shotblockers. Offensively, he didn't show great back to the basket moves, but his jumper (despite being hideous looking) is soft and he is a good finisher at the rim. If he put in the work during the off-season, expect Aldrich to be improved on the block this year. Everyone should know about Collins. Built like a bowling ball, Collins can shoot it, he can drive to score or to pass, and he is a proven clutch performer that isn't afraid to take (and make) a big shot. Collins is a natural leader, which is perfect for a team that is still relatively young. With the amount of talent on this roster, expect Collins' scoring numbers to dip a bit this year as he spreads the ball around more.

The likely starters on the perimeter will be sophomore Tyshawn Taylor and freshman Xavier Henry. Taylor is an excellent role player to stick in the off-guard spot. He has the talent to be a 15 ppg guy, but he is used to filling a role on a loaded roster (his high school team at St. Patrick's had seven D1 players on it). He has the handle and the play-making ability to play a little bit of point guard this year, but where his biggest contribution will be is on the defensive end. His long arms and quick feet will make him a night mare for opposing two guards. Henry might be the missing piece for Self. With a dynamic point guard, size inside, and role players and shooters on the perimeter last year, the one thing this Jayhawk team was missing was a big time scoring talent on the wing. Henry, a strong, 6'6" two-guard, is exactly that. The only concern that Self will have with Henry is his attitude - will he understand that he is not "the man" on this Jayhawk team and defer to Collins and Aldrich?

The rest of the Kansas back court is talented as well. Tyrell Reed, who was the 2008 Kansas high school player of the year, is a shooter first and foremost. A coaches son, he is a smart kid that understands the game and can play a little point if necessary, but where he will be utilized by Self is as a spot-shooter on the perimeter that will help spread the floor. Mario Little is a JuCo transfer that struggled to get time on the court last season. When he did, he produced, averaging 4.7 ppg and 3.2 rpg in just 12 mpg. He is an athletic slasher that is at his best in the open floor. Brady Morningstar is a former walk-on who earned his starting spot last season. A pesky defender and excellent shooter, Morningstar may have cost himself this season with his DUI back in September. He will not return from suspension until the end of the first semester, and by then Self will likely have his rotation figured out.

Of this group, Elijah Johnson probably has the most upside. Similar to a guy like Collins, Johnson is a solidly built, 6'2" point guard. He's explosive, he can get to the rim, he can shoot it from deep, and he makes the game look effortless. His issue is that he has a rep for being lazy, for coasting during games. If Self, or maybe even Collins, can light a fire in this kid, he should be a more than adequate back-up for Collins and may end up being a first round pick down the road.

The most improved players this season may end up being the Morris twins, Markieff and Marcus. Last season, the two showed flashes of potential, but they weren't big or strong enough to handle the rigors of the Big XII. But over the summer, the twins spent quite a bit of time in the weight room, adding strength, mass, and improving their athleticism in the process. Marcus is a bit more developed on the offensive end while Markieff is a better defender at this point in his career. Regardless, expect a big season out of these two as they will provide energy and athleticism for Self, both on the defensive end and on the glass.

The other guy expected to see time in the front court rotation is Thomas Robinson. At 6'9", Robinson is a fantastic athlete that can get out and fill a lane on the break. He isn't the strongest player inside right now, but he can finish above the rim and has shown a decent offensive game around the rim. Similar to Marcus Morris, Robinson can also step out and play the high post. He has a solid 15 foot jumper, and his passing and ball-handling ability will make him a difficult match-up for any opposing post.

Outlook: Kansas had a bit of a tumultuous off-season, as the basketball team's multiple skirmishes with the Jayhawk football team made national headlines. But as much of an issue and as big of an embarrassment as it was for Bill Self, some took it as a good sign. This wasn't one guy on an island fighting 60-some football players. This was the whole team having the back of a couple players with an issue. While there were certainly better ways to solve the issue than to take it to fists, Self has to be happy that he has a team that is close-knit enough that they didn't hesitate to have each other's back. I don't think that it will be much of a distraction at this point. The bigger issue is going to be how Self handles having this much talent on his roster. Will there be enough shots and minutes to go around to keep everyone happy? If he can manage and massage egos, Kansas looks like the clear cut favorite to cut down the nets in Indianapolis.