Self moved Selden away from
the shooting guard position, playing
him alongside two smaller guards in
Mason and the sophomore, Graham.
This freed Selden up for more
scoring opportunities on the wing,
which he capitalized on, averaging
19.3 PPG on 62.8 from from two
and 44.1 percent on threes. If this
small sample size carries over to
the season, Kansas won’t just be a
national title contender, but Selden
will have himself in All-American
contention.
1st round pick in 2016 due to his
athleticism, positional flexibility, and
athleticism.
There are two large X-factors for
the Jayhawks that may determine how
far they go. One is the development
of 6-foot-5 junior Wayne Selden. A
highly-rated prospect coming out of
Roxbury, MA, Selden regressed
in his junior season. Billed as
a scorer when he arrived in
Lawrence, he finished only
50 percent of his shots in the
paint. And although he did
connect on 36.5 percent of his
3-point shots, much more is
expected.
The other big factor will be
whether 6-foot-9 freshman Cheick
Diallo, RSCI’s sixth rated freshman
in the country, is allowed to suit
up for the Jayhawks. The NCAA
Eligibility Center still has not
cleared Diallo, the MVP last year in
both the McDonald’s All-American
Game and Jordan Brand Classic,
due to coursework taken at another
school. Where Ellis likes to play
more on the perimeter or the top
of the key, Diallo likes to use his
muscle, motor, and athleticism in
the paint to overwhelm opponents.
Seeing as though the Big 12 coaches
have already voted Diallo preseason
Freshman of the Year, there may not
be much to worry about.
The development of
Wayne Selden
will be vital
to the Kansas
Jayhawks
success this
season.
Whether Selden reaches
expectations or Diallo plays will not
be the ultimate determining factor
in the Jayhawks’ quest for another
conference championship. With
upperclassmen Ellis and Mason
at the helm flanked by a host of
talented and capable players, Kansas
will be in the national conversation
all year long. But with both Selden
and Diallo in the lineup and
performing up to their capabilities,
the chances of a special season for
Kansas becomes that much greater.
A hint of that may have come
during this summer when Kansas
represented the United States at the
World University Games.
Photo: John Reiger -USA TODAY Sports
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