Kansas Basketball: Jayhawks' nearly-perfect offseason makes them '24-25 title contenders

Kansas had some key losses, but they were expected losses

What constitutes a perfect offseason in a world where free agency is running rampant in college basketball? It’s become just as important to recruit your own players to stay each year as it is to bring new players into the program. In that respect, the Jayhawks have been impacted minimally this summer by avoiding departures through the transfer portal and having just three players graduate and one other leave for the pro ranks.

Nick Timberlake and Kevin McCullar have graduated and sophomore Johnny Furphy took his NBA draft decision right up to the deadline but ultimately decided to turn pro, but Bill Self got great news when the threesome of KJ Adams, DuJuan Harris, Jr., and Hunter Dickinson all decided to run it back for their senior seasons. Sophomore Harris returns as one of the best point guards in the country with a 3:1 assist-to-turnover ratio last season.

With Dickinson and Adams also coming back the Jayhawks have one of the best frontcourt duos in the country, one that averaged over 30 points and 15 rebounds last season. The Jayhawks’ depth took a bit of a hit this week when sophomore Elmarko Jackson suffered a torn patella tendon at a youth camp. Even with Jackson out for the year, Kansas was able to land transfer guard Shakeel Moore to add to the guard depth and he's a capable ball-handler in his own right.