Fall is here, and school is back in session, which means the good times are almost here – the start of college basketball season! To get you ready for this upcoming season, The Hoops Manifesto presents to you its preseason top 25 team rankings, based on the input from our esteemed voting panel. Next up #7 Kansas Jayhawks
Big thanks to our voting panel: Jeff Fox (@HoopsManifesto) from The Hoops Manifesto, Perry Missner (@PerryMissner) from RotoWire, Ray Bala (@CanBallReport) who writes The Can Ball Report on Raptors HQ, Adam Francis (@RaptorsHQ) from Raptors HQ, Ian (@SoxAndDawgs) from SOX & Dawgs, and Alex Gallant (@SeaTownSports) from SeaTown Sports.
#7 – Kansas Jayhawks
2011/12: 32-7, lost NCAA Tournament National Championship Game
Key Returning Players:
Elijah Johnson – Point Guard – Senior
10.2 ppg, 3.2 rpg, 3.5 apg, 1.4 spg
Travis Releford – Shooting Guard – Senior
8.5 ppg, 4.2 rpg, 1.8 apg, 1.2 spg
Jeff Withey – Center – Senior
9.0 ppg, 6.3 rpg, 3.6 bpg
Top Newcomers:
Perry Ellis – Power Forward – #24 ranked recruit (Rivals.com)
Andrew White – Small Forward – #51 ranked recruit (Rivals.com)
Anrio Adams – Shooting Guard – #98 ranked recruit (Rivals.com)
Zach Peters – Power Forward – #137 ranked recruit (Rivals.com)
Ben McLemore – Shooting Guard – redshirt last season – #34 ranked recruit in 2011 (Rivals.com)
Jamari Traylor – Power Forward – redshirt last season – #141 ranked recruit in 2011 (Rivals.com)
Top NBA Prospect:
Jeff Withey – projected late first round pick in 2013
Outlook:
It’s become a common theme at Kansas – one group of star players leave, another group is ready in the wings to replace them. Last year’s stars – point guard Tyshawn Taylor and power forward Thomas Robinson – will be replaced by this year’s – point guard Elijah Johnson and center Jeff Withey. And Bill Self has a stellar freshman class hitting the court this year, led by studs Perry Ellis, Andrew White and Ben McLemore (redshirted last year). Another year, another title contender. The beat goes on in Lawrence.
Preseason Top 25
#8 – Ohio State Buckeyes
#9 – North Carolina Tar Heels
#10 – Duke Blue Devils
#11 – Missouri Tigers
#12 – Gonzaga Bulldogs
#13 – Syracuse Orange
#14 – UNLV Runnin’ Rebels
#15 – Arizona Wildcats
#16 – Wisconsin Badgers
#17 – Baylor Bears
#18 – Creighton Bluejays
#19 – Florida Gators
#20 – Kansas State Wildcats
#21 – San Diego State Aztecs
#22 – Saint Louis Billikens
#23 – Memphis Tigers
#24 – Notre Dame Fighting Irish
#25 – Texas Wildcats
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