NCAA Basketball: Top 25 team backcourts for 2021-22 season

The Jayhawks missed out on a share of the regular-season Big 12 crown for only the 3rd time in 20 years. However, this occurring twice in the last three years highlights how strong the Big 12 conference is becoming from top to bottom. Yet, further examination of Kansas’ 2020 season provides some hope that 2021 will be much better. A trio of conference road losses early on in league play staggered the team a bit, but the Jayhawks played tight the rest of the year and even took down eventual national champions Baylor by a double-digit victory.

While Bill Self lost stout defender and reliable offensive weapon Marcus Garrett to the NBA in the offseason, this year’s team was upgraded in a big way. Ochai Agbaji, Jalen Wilson, and Christian Braun all return from last year’s team and will all have a good chance of surpassing the double-digit threshold. Their collective expertise will be crucial to ensuring the leap is made this year.

However, landing the biggest prize on the transfer market will grant them leniency if an off night occurs. Point guard Remy Martin joins the program from Arizona State and instantly fixes any concerns at the position the team experienced last year. Kansas did not have a true point guard available on the roster last season capable of putting up scoring numbers that would rival the team lead. Now that they do, the dynamics of this offense move off the charts, and defenses will have a difficult time game planning to keep this year’s group in check.

Adding to it Coach Self signed Jalen Coleman-Lands from Iowa State. Coleman-Lands has been a reliable piece for Illinois, DePaul, and the Cyclones throughout his collegiate career and has contributed nearly 10 points per season at each stop. His experience is going to be very valuable in a sixth man role in 2021.

Self is also bringing in junior guard Joseph Yesufu from Drake this offseason. Yesufu largely operated off the bench last season, but he still managed 12.8 PPG and was a very reliable perimeter threat. His scoring production may put him in strong consideration for the primary backup role to Martin as the floor general.

The arrivals of freshman guards Kyle Cuffe Jr. and Bobby Pettiford round out a very talented crop of guards and wings for this year’s team. Both Cuffe and Pettiford are talented prospects, but the depth of the Jayhawks roster will likely prevent them from truly emerging this season. They have the prime opportunity to learn from some of college basketball’s best players to make a name for themselves in 2022.

The backcourt will help propel the Jayhawks this season and while securing the Big 12 title isn’t a foregone conclusion this year, Kansas has the horses to contend for the national title this season.