LAWRENCE — There are many things to think about, because Kansas basketball The opening of the season is approaching.
The Jayhawks have a trio of returning veteran starters in graduate guard Dajuan Harris Jr., graduate center Hunter Dickinson and senior forward KJ Adams Jr. They have a collection of newcomers fighting for roles. They play a tough schedule that includes a Nov. 8 home game against North Carolina.
Here are some other things to consider ahead of the Nov. 4 opener against Howard:
Kansas basketball newcomer Shakeel Moore could be the team’s ‘best on-ball defender’
Hunter Dickinson spent his offseason improving his 3-point shooting
Dickinson averaged 17.9 points and 10.9 rebounds per game last year over 33 starts, and it’s not really surprising that he was recognized as the team’s preseason player of the year. the Big 12 Conference. There’s still someone who will play a key role in Kansas’ efforts this season. If the Jayhawks have success in the regular season or playoffs, or both, there’s a good chance he’ll be a big reason why.
During the offseason, Dickinson said he spent a lot of time taking 3s. Last season, he made 35.4 percent (23 of 65) of his attempts from behind the arc. But Dickinson said he has also spent time, especially at the grassroots level, looking to get stronger with the thought of the level he will need to reach when he turns professional.
Dajuan Harris Jr. is well aware this is his last season at Kansas
Harris spent many years playing college basketball at Kansas, even before his role in the team’s national championship run in 2022. But this season will be his last with the Jayhawks, and he said he’s thinking about it a lot. Even though he’s been here for a while, it still feels like time has flown by.
Harris added that he tries to cherish every moment and have fun with each one. Chances are there will be plenty of opportunities to add quality memories in the weeks and months to come. He’s part of a team considered a contender not only for the Big 12 championship, but also the national championship.
Bill Self keeps tabs on how many minutes three guys will play
Self recently addressed a topic he’s talked about in the past, which is the minutes guys like Dickinson, Harris and Adams are going to play. He said he would like to limit them to less than 30 minutes per game. That, he explained, would allow more guys to contribute.
Last season, in part because of depth issues, Dickinson averaged 32.2 minutes per game, Adams averaged 33.5 and Harris averaged 35.7. Allowing them to get more rest would certainly benefit Kansas. However, it seems unlikely that in high-profile, highly competitive matchups, Self will reduce his playing time just to adhere to this idea.
Jordan Guskey covers University of Kansas sports at the Topeka Capital-Journal. He is the National Sports Media Association Sportswriter of the Year for the state of Kansas for 2022. Contact him at jmguskey@gannett.com or on Twitter at @JordanGuskey.
This article was originally published on Topeka Capital-Journal: Dajuan Harris Jr. aims to enjoy his final basketball season at Kansas
