NCAA Basketball: 3 thoughts on debut AP preseason top-25 poll for 2018-19
1. Kansas on top…but for how long?
The team every other program is chasing this year? The Kansas Jayhawks.
When Bill Self isn’t defending his program’s reputation from the trial of the century, he’s building the best team in the country. Interestingly enough, he built that team through much different mechanisms than the college basketball norms these days.
The best player on the team is Dedric Lawson, a transfer from Memphis who hasn’t played a meaningful game in over a year. He was named a preseason All-American and is an early favorite for the Naismith Award.
His brother, K.J. Lawson, becomes eligible this season as well. Elite freshman Quentin Grimes helps form a well-rounded cast of newcomers.
Adversity has already set in for the Jayhawks, though. First, the losses for the Jayhawks are substantial. Graham and Svi Mykhailiuk graduated. Malik Newman left for the draft. Sam Cunliffe transferred out.
This poll was also released before the closing days of the trial, when big man Silvio De Sousa was thrown back into a mess he seemingly conquered a year before. The team announced he would be held out of competition until further notice.
Next. Preseason Top 25 Power Rankings. dark
Kansas is atop the college basketball world today. There’s no guarantee it will be a smooth ride staying there.