***** Official '24/'25 KU Men's Basketball Repository Thread *****

[cmh6476]

The Team:

https://kuathletics.com/sports/mbball/roster/

The Schedule:

https://kuathletics.com/sports/mbball/schedule/

[TambaBerry]

Dickinson is fine with spacing, Dickinson with KJ and Harris on the court at the same time is not good. Bill likes his defense too much to play KJ less. The best lineup was always going to be Harris/Coit, Mayo, Griffen, Storr, Dickinson

[BigRedChief]

Originally Posted by KC_Connection

If KJ was a bench player again, I'd actually believe this team could win a national title with these guards around Dickinson. As it is though...

Originally Posted by KC_Connection

Kansas' lead went from 9 to 17 once they went to the four-out lineup. Hunter Dickinson got one-on-one matchups almost every possession and, predictably, his statline went to the moon.

He's their best player. Build your system around your best player. Free the 4-out lineup.

— Rock Chalk Blog (@RockChalkBlog) December 14, 2024/a>

Seems prudent.

Originally Posted by PHOG

Please

Everyone seems to see this but the one that matters, Self. Is it just a "he's my guy" damn the torpedos? Why would the best coach in BB not at least try the 4 guard lineup. Seems to work pretty good when used. So why isnt he seeing this?

[smithandrew051]

Originally Posted by TambaBerry

Dickinson is fine with spacing, Dickinson with KJ and Harris on the court at the same time is not good. Bill likes his defense too much to play KJ less. The best lineup was always going to be Harris/Coit, Mayo, Griffen, Storr, Dickinson

5 Guard Rotation of Harris, Mayo, Griffen, Storr, and Coit with occasional minutes for Passmore.

2 Center Rotation of Dickinson and Bidunga with “energy” minutes for Adams.

This isn’t hard.

[RaidersOftheCellar]

Originally Posted by KC_Connection

Hunter Dickinson's final line: 21 points, 14 rebounds, 7 assists. He also was a +28 in a game Kansas won by 15.

He's not a perfect player, but he's Kansas' best, and he's one of the best players in the country, and anybody who says otherwise is kidding themselves.

— Rock Chalk Blog (@RockChalkBlog) December 14, 2024

Rough day for the "Hunter Dickinson makes KU worse" crowd.

21/14/7 against one of the better post-defending teams in the country. Kansas was +28 with him on the floor and -13 with him on the bench.

And for all the talk about his defense, how'd KU's defense look when he was out?

— Rock Chalk Blog (@RockChalkBlog) December 15, 2024

Give him spacing like he had today and watch lines like this happen all the time.

“KU would be better if Bidunga took Dickinson’s minutes.”

BWillie nailed that one!

[RaidersOftheCellar]

Originally Posted by smithandrew051

5 Guard Rotation of Harris, Mayo, Griffen, Storr, and Coit with occasional minutes for Passmore.

2 Center Rotation of Dickinson and Bidunga with “energy” minutes for Adams.

This isn’t hard.

Oh, it’s very hard for Bill.

I’d accept dropping KJ’s minutes by 10-12 per.

[KC_Connection]

Originally Posted by BigRedChief

Everyone seems to see this but the one that matters, Self. Is it just a "he's my guy" damn the torpedos? Why would the best coach in BB not at least try the 4 guard lineup. Seems to work pretty good when used. So why isnt he seeing this?

He surely sees it but just has loyalty to KJ.

[BWillie]

Originally Posted by RaidersOftheCellar

“KU would be better if Bidunga took Dickinson’s minutes.”

BWillie nailed that one!

Merely pointing out Bidunga was more productive per minute at the time and I even mentioned I expected a regression.

My point remains. To be the best team he needs more minutes. You can always increase Hunts minutes in games that matter in March. That is the point. Bdiunga can get better by playing and Dickinson won't get better by playing more games.

Bill is a try to be as good as you can every minute. Thats one of the reasons we usually overperform in Torvik and Kenpom predictive efficiency rankings. I am a develop players to be as good as you can in March guy...at least if you know you are going to be a Top 4 protected seed. If this was college football set up I wouldn't be but the regular season only matters so much in NCAA BBall.

[rfaulk34]

Originally Posted by KC_Connection

I've said it before but Dickinson gets way too much shit from this fanbase despite being one of the best players in college basketball. He's pretty much unstoppable at this level unless he runs into another guy his size. We don't really use him to open up the offense for others as much as we could be doing either.

[Bearcat]

Originally Posted by rfaulk34

Best player in CBB as long as he doesn't have to play against the really tall guys.

[KC_Connection]

Originally Posted by rfaulk34

Which reminds me that UK doesn't have anyone his size.

[KC_Connection]

Originally Posted by Bearcat

Best player in CBB as long as he doesn't have to play against the really tall guys.

There are very few guys in the NCAA that are 7'2 and 270 pounds, yeah. It helps to be big playing basketball. Shocking, I know.

[rfaulk34]

Originally Posted by KC_Connection

Which reminds me that UK doesn't have anyone his size.

Don't need one.

[KC_Connection]

Originally Posted by rfaulk34

Don't need one.

You’re probably right, UK likely will lose to an Oakland level team again in March rather than getting deep enough to play KU/Dickinson.

[rfaulk34]

Originally Posted by KC_Connection

You’re probably right, UK likely will lose to an Oakland level team again in March rather than getting deep enough to play KU/Dickinson.

Cal coaches for Arkansas now.

[Bearcat]

Originally Posted by KC_Connection

There are very few guys in the NCAA that are 7'2 and 270 pounds, yeah. It helps to be big playing basketball. Shocking, I know.

I get it... as long as Bill Self becomes a better coach, there's better talent around him, he gets all the spacing he needs, he doesn't have to play against anyone who's really tall, and nobody makes him angry enough to kick anyone, he's clearly the best player in CBB.