Kansas basketball coach Bill Self reflects on season, Gonzaga loss
Check out what Kansas basketball coach Bill Self had to say recently after the Jayhawks’ season ended with a NCAA tournament loss against Gonzaga.
TOPEKA — Kansas basketball coach Bill Self addressed a number of areas of interest about his team Monday, at a local event in Topeka.
Self, whose team reached the round of 32 of the NCAA tournament last season, and the Jayhawks might not have enjoyed the success they sought out to earn during the 2023-24 campaign. However, there was still a lot to build upon given who has returned from that team. There has also been a renewed excitement about the team’s potential given who Self and his coaching staff have added to the roster.
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Here are a few takeaways from what Self had to say.
Bill Self highlights expectations for Jamari McDowell, Elmarko Jackson
Self alluded to the potential that, due to the talent Kansas has on its roster, sophomore guards Jamari McDowell and Elmarko Jackson won’t have to be relied upon more than they should be this upcoming season. However, while that might be the case, Self is still expecting both to make significant strides ahead of their second seasons in college. He pointed to that time between a player’s freshman and sophomore years as the time when they usually make their biggest jumps.
Although McDowell played a limited role off the bench last season, Jackson was thrust into a starting role before eventually coming off the bench himself. Self brought up that it might have been unfair to put so much on Jackson, especially considering Jackson’s lack of experience. But regardless of the role Jackson has this upcoming season, Jackson certainly has more experience now.
This is how Bill Self views freshman forward Flory Bidunga
Flory Bidunga is a well-known newcomer for Kansas, given the fact he’s a 247Sports Composite five-star center in the 2024 recruiting class. But just because Bidunga enjoyed a lot of success in high school doesn’t mean there aren’t things he’ll still need to work through as he looks to earn a role with the Jayhawks. Bidunga, who KU listed as a freshman forward, is someone who will need to find his place in the team’s rotation.
Self praised how terrific of an athlete Bidunga is. Self described Bidunga as a great prospect. There are just questions that need to be answered, such as if Bidunga is someone who can be on the court as the same time as returning veteran center Hunter Dickinson or not.
Kansas will need to replace Johnny Furphy’s 3-point shooting ability
With Johnny Furphy’s decision to remain in this year’s NBA draft, comes a need for Kansas to replace one of the best — if not the best — 3-point shooting options the Jayhawks had last season. It’s part of the reason why he emerged as a starter for the team over the course of the season. It’s part of the reason why he is likely going to be a first round pick when the draft is held.
Self, though, highlighted Alabama transfer Rylan Griffen as someone they recruited who could step up in that regard. Griffen, who’ll be a junior guard, shot the ball better from behind the arc this past season than Furphy did. It’s just about whether Griffen can continue to succeed at the rate he’s shown himself capable of.
Jordan Guskey covers University of Kansas Athletics at The Topeka Capital-Journal. He is the National Sports Media Association’s sportswriter of the year for the state of Kansas for 2022. Contact him at jmguskey@gannett.com or on Twitter at @JordanGuskey.