NCAA Basketball: Ranking of top 25 team backcourts for 2023-24 season

8. Kansas Jayhawks

It’s been an offseason of lots of roster movement for the Jayhawks, both inside and out. They knew freshman star Gradey Dick would be gone, now in the NBA as a lottery pick. Others hit the transfer portal such as Bobby Pettiford, Kyle Cuffe, and Joseph Yesufu. The team had previously added Texas transfer Arterio Morris but after a recent offseason arrest, decided to let him go.

Who Kansas did bring back was Dajaun Harris, the reigning Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year. The point guard averaged 8.9 ppg and 6.2 apg and is one of the better passers in all of NCAA Basketball. Also back is Kevin McCullar, who produced 10.7 ppg and 7.0 rpg in his first year with the program and got All-Big 12 honors. He and Harris help make Kansas potent on the defensive end, along with forward KJ Adams.

To help with the scoring is incoming transfer, Nicolas Timberlake. He was the star at Towson last season, averaging 17.7 ppg on 42% shooting from deep. He went for 30+ points a few times in CAA play, including 34 on the road at College of Charleston.

There are some questions about depth outside of the starters. After a couple of decommits from the freshmen class, just Elmarko Jackson and Jamari McDowell are left. They’ll need to have an impact off the bench for the Jayhawks to be as well-rounded as possible but the top of the pecking order is why they’re a national title contender.