Big 12 Basketball: Way-too-early preseason power rankings for 2019-20

MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA - APRIL 08: Kyler Edwards #0 of the Texas Tech Red Raiders reacts after his teams 85-77 loss to the Virginia Cavaliers during the 2019 NCAA men's Final Four National Championship game at U.S. Bank Stadium on April 08, 2019 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by Tom Pennington/Getty Images) /

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LAWRENCE, KANSAS – FEBRUARY 25: Mitch Lightfoot #44 of the Kansas Jayhawks celebrates during the game against the Kansas State Wildcats at Allen Fieldhouse on February 25, 2019 in Lawrence, Kansas. (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images) /

5. Kansas Jayhawks

Next season is going to be very odd for the Kansas Jayhawks, as they’ll enter it without a major target on their back amidst a poor recruiting class and some big losses.

Last season was very disappointing as is for the Jayhawks, but next season should not carry that big of expectations. The departures are massive, and the only thing that will matter for the Jayhawks this offseason are some key decisions.

Those decisions will be the draft status of Dedric Lawson, Quentin Grimes, Devon Dotson, and Silvio de Souza.

If all four players stay, maybe Kansas will be ranked amongst the top-25 heading into next season. I do not think any of the four players will stay, however.

Lawson and Dotson are almost for sure gone, with Grimes likely the next to follow. De Souza’s decision will be based on the NCAA’s decision to reinstate him from his two-year suspension, which I do not at all believe will happen.

So who is returning to Lawrence next season? Senior center Udoka Azubuike will be the main returning piece, as will sophomore guard Ochai Agbaji. Marcus Garrett will return for his junior season, and the Jayhawks will bring in a pair of four-stars in Isaac McBride and Christian Braun.

If everything goes well for Kansas this offseason, they will certainly be a top-25 squad. If not, we could be looking at a fringe NCAA Tournament team.

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