3 reasons why Kansas Basketball can make it back to the Final 4 this season
By Joey Loose
A great player in Jalen Wilson
Basketball is a team game, and it’s very true that defense wins championships, but that’s enough clichés. Great performances are remembered in the NCAA Tournament, and the teams that make deep runs have fantastic players leading the show. The clear advantage that the Jayhawks have out the gate is that senior forward Jalen Wilson just might be one of the best players in the sport this season.
Wilson was part of last year’s championship team but has been significantly more impactful this year. After averaging just over 11 points per game in each of his previous two seasons, Wilson is now averaging 21.5 points and 8.6 rebounds a game for the Jayhawks. He’s the team’s leading scorer and rebounder, playing nearly every minute this season for a tough Kansas squad. He’s accumulated eight double-doubles and had a career-high 38 points against Kansas State just a few weeks ago.
There’s a lot more to Wilson’s impact than just a few gaudy numbers, but his importance cannot be understated. His 3-point game has gotten significantly better this season, hitting 35% of his attempts after last season’s shooting woes of just 26%. He’s one of the best defensive rebounders in the nation and plays under control. Kansas would not be in this position without him, and his experience in the NCAA Tournament cannot be understated either. You won’t find someone who had 15 points in a national championship game on any of their opponents in the Big Dance, barring a rematch with North Carolina.