2024/2025 Lineup

[BiggDick]

oh, and speaking of understanding seems limited, analysis is inaccurate, and conclusions are unfounded...

what do you guys think of Coach Self saying Diggy is better at pressuring the ball than Juan?

I think that was his way of saying DH is overrated at defense and it's only a matter of time before he turns the team over to David Coit so that he can be our lead guard. And shot chuck. At 5'8.

that's hyperbole.

But so is the "dogged on-ball defender" that ESPN writer afforded.

[DeletedUser]

so, you're saying, it's matchup dependent?

...maybe UNCW

UNCW has a 7 foot 280 lb starter who grew up in Hoxie Kansas so probably not.

Matchup dependent bro.

Maybe we throw Diggy in there at the 5 and use his speed?

[BiggDick]

We started him at the 5 an entire season and still won the league, and were within a bucket of advancing to the second weekend even without our HOF coach.

For sure, he played at the 5 because we kinda had no choice ( but also because Self wouldn't play Udeh enough ). It wasn't great at that spot - don't know if you recall.

We also had NPOY contender Jalen Wilson, a lotto pick in Gradey Dick, and a 2024 AA candidate ( who got injured in 2024 ).

We also had one of the worst combined defensive/offensive rebounding rates under Bill Self. And then we got out rebounded by Arkansas.

I'd bet $100 Self wishes he'd have stuck with Udeh more at the 5 that year knowing what we know now and seeing how the roster has transformed.

We may not have HD though. Or we might have HD and a capable backup in Udeh. Instead of Bidunga KJ or Clemence for the 8-10 mpg HD is out.

I mean, yea, I think Self very well woulda coulda shoulda developed Udeh.

But at the same time, I don't loose much sleep about not having a career 3.5ppg dood.

[BiggDick]

...maybe UNCW

UNCW has a 7 foot 280 lb starter who grew up in Hoxie Kansas so probably not.

Matchup dependent bro.

Maybe we throw Diggy in there at the 5 and use his speed?

this is like meltdown levels of hyperbole now!

[DeletedUser]

But at the same time, I don't loose much sleep about not having a career 3.5ppg dood.

What's Clemence average career wise? How much will Bidunga average this year?

We'd be WAY better off, this year, with year 3 Udeh instead of year 1 Bidunga and year whatever Clemence.

And tbh, I don't see much difference in NBA potential, so far.

[BiggDick]

so, you're saying, it's matchup dependent?

Ya okay man, KJ can play 5 against Washburn, Howard, Brown, Furman...maybe UNCW or Oakland.....but that's it on our schedule.

We could also do any fucking thing we want lineup wise against those schools and call it "matchup dependent". But spending the next 3 pages doing so would be a massive waste of fucking time.

We play teams like Duke, Michigan State, UNC, Creighton, and the entire big "12". KJ is not going to be a net positive for us at the 5 against them. Because we also don't have a backup 4.

Teams like those - which is to say - good teams, maybe even elite - are the ones I worry about being able to exploit our big old school center's mobility issues.

As for backup 4...maybe AJ? Hasn't that been suggested, even recently? Or maybe Griffen?

Either way, it sucks that we're vulnerable to being exploited cuz of our immobile old school big or our undersized tweener utility guy. Feels like it's been a while since we could physically or athletically be the ones doing the exploiting.

[DeletedUser]

so, you're saying, it's matchup dependent?

Ya okay man, KJ can play 5 against Washburn, Howard, Brown, Furman...maybe UNCW or Oakland.....but that's it on our schedule.

We could also do any fucking thing we want lineup wise against those schools and call it "matchup dependent". But spending the next 3 pages doing so would be a massive waste of fucking time.

We play teams like Duke, Michigan State, UNC, Creighton, and the entire big "12". KJ is not going to be a net positive for us at the 5 against them. Because we also don't have a backup 4.

Teams like those - which is to say - good teams, maybe even elite - are the ones I worry about being able to exploit our big old school center's mobility issues.

As for backup 4...maybe AJ? Hasn't that been suggested, even recently? Or maybe Griffen?

Either way, it sucks that we're vulnerable to being exploited cuz of our immobile old school big or our undersized tweener utility guy. Feels like it's been a while since we could physically or athletically be the ones doing the exploiting.

Storr and Griffen are closer to 2s than 4s. They're slender. Storr appears shorter than advertised. Neither are strong like KJ.

Self has said our backup 4 will be Clemence.

And the only way we play HD and Bidunga together is if we play zone which he said we "play a lot of" sarcastically.

Watch more games or post less about the games you didn't watch.



Can you imagine Storr trying to guard Cooper Flagg at the 4? LOL

Or KJ trying to matchup with 7'2 Maluach? LOL

I think I've had enough for today already. 1 appraisal to pump out and then head to the golf course. 80s and windy in illinois today. I'll take it. Downwind holes will be fun.

[pdub]

What's Clemence average career wise? How much will Bidunga average this year?
We'd be WAY better off, this year, with year 3 Udeh instead of year 1 Bidunga and year whatever Clemence.

Right.

"If building a TEAM, I think your backup big is better off being a tougher more athletic defensive type, rather than a more offensive-oriented player who is softer and slower and more of a defensive liability."

-BDick

[pdub]

Feels like it's been a while since we could physically or athletically be the ones doing the exploiting.

Hunter had 18 PPG on 55% FG shooting last season.

[BiggDick]

But at the same time, I don't loose much sleep about not having a career 3.5ppg dood.

What's Clemence average career wise? How much will Bidunga average this year?

We'd be WAY better off, this year, with year 3 Udeh instead of year 1 Bidunga and year whatever Clemence.

And tbh, I don't see much difference in NBA potential, so far.

yea, Clemence remains an odd piece to have. Hoping Bidunga can figure out a role for himself, at least by March. The potential is there.

Yes, year 3 Udeh could have been a specimen. He coulda been here if he wanted. But, if he didn't wanna be here, then I just don't have much regard for him at this point either.

[BiggDick]

Feels like it's been a while since we could physically or athletically be the ones doing the exploiting.

Hunter had 18 PPG on 55% FG shooting last season.

This is an illy move - try to argue something by pointing to a peripheral stat, if that.

Yea, Hunter scores a lot of points, but physicality and athleticism are things that aren't directly measured in box scores. I think he played limited both athletically (slow particularly on D, somehow below the rim DESPITE BEING 7 FOOT 2!), and physically (soft, didn't really impose his will in the paint, got pushed around more than he should DESPITE BEING 7 FOOT 2!)

Contrast that with a guy like Dok, who was listed as smaller than Hunter but would've still eaten Hunter for lunch.

[BiggDick]

random thought I had the other night:

This year's roster features both the biggest dood Self has ever coached at KU, and the smallest.

[DeletedUser]

Contrast with Dok, maybe the best big Kansas has had in 20 or 30 years.

LOL

[BiggDick]

What's Clemence average career wise? How much will Bidunga average this year?
We'd be WAY better off, this year, with year 3 Udeh instead of year 1 Bidunga and year whatever Clemence.

Right.

"If building a TEAM, I think your backup big is better off being a tougher more athletic defensive type, rather than a more offensive-oriented player who is softer and slower and more of a defensive liability."

-BDick

you describe Hunter's and Sasha's defensive abilities as a wash, yet at the same points in their career, Sasha had already been drafted - despite being offensively inferior to Hunter. That's to say, cuz maybe his defense was superior to Hunter, enough so to get drafted.

But, different eras too, I know.

Either way, how's your bro crush Hunter's draft stock looking?

[pdub]

What's Clemence average career wise? How much will Bidunga average this year?
We'd be WAY better off, this year, with year 3 Udeh instead of year 1 Bidunga and year whatever Clemence.

Right.

"If building a TEAM, I think your backup big is better off being a tougher more athletic defensive type, rather than a more offensive-oriented player who is softer and slower and more of a defensive liability."

-BDick

you describe Hunter's and Sasha's defensive abilities as a wash, yet at the same points in their career, Sasha had already been drafted - despite being offensively inferior to Hunter. That's to say, cuz maybe his defense was superior to Hunter, enough so to get drafted.

But, different eras too, I know.

Either way, how's your bro crush Hunter's draft stock looking?

The NBA was quite a bit different than it is today.
Sasha didn't get a single NBA minute until 7 years after KU.
He played in 25 games.

[TDub]

I can't believe this argument is still going on. amazing.

[BiggDick]

Contrast with Dok, maybe the best big Kansas has had in 20 or 30 years.

LOL

yes!

maybe the best big Kansas has had in 20 or 30 years, cuz he was big and strong enough to exploit opponents!

Why aren't you arguing for Hunter as the best big? After all, he had arguably superior stats.

[BiggDick]

Right.

"If building a TEAM, I think your backup big is better off being a tougher more athletic defensive type, rather than a more offensive-oriented player who is softer and slower and more of a defensive liability."

-BDick

you describe Hunter's and Sasha's defensive abilities as a wash, yet at the same points in their career, Sasha had already been drafted - despite being offensively inferior to Hunter. That's to say, cuz maybe his defense was superior to Hunter, enough so to get drafted.

But, different eras too, I know.

Either way, how's your bro crush Hunter's draft stock looking?

The NBA was quite a bit different than it is today.
Sasha didn't get a single NBA minute until 7 years after KU.
He played in 25 games.

yea. Like I said.

Do you think Hunter will ever play in 25 NBA games?

that'd be rad if he did.

You could send him fan mail and everything!

[pdub]

Feels like it's been a while since we could physically or athletically be the ones doing the exploiting.

Hunter had 18 PPG on 55% FG shooting last season.

This is an illy move - try to argue something by pointing to a peripheral stat, if that.

Yea, Hunter scores a lot of points, but physicality and athleticism are things that aren't directly measured in box scores.

He scores most of his points in the post and in no small part ( pun ) because he is physically bigger than the players he's playing against.

[BiggDick]

I can't believe this argument is still going on. amazing.

yea, it IS amazing.

the hoops bored was dead without me!