Kansas Jayhawks: Projecting The Starting Big Men
By Joel Wagler
Kansas Jayhawks forward Jamari Traylor (31) Credit: USA Today
STANDS A CHANCE – JAMARI TRAYLOR
Jamari Traylor is a hustling 6’8″, 220 pound junior forward with some nice experience over the past two seasons. He averaged 16 minutes a game as a sophomore, scoring just under 5 points a game, but shooting 67.4% from the field for the season.
Traylor doesn’t have the most range in the world, but he is strong around the rim, and has a quick first step driving from the perimeter to the basket. He is a steady rebounder, if unspectacular, at this point in his career. He averaged just 4 a year ago.
He usually brings a lot of hustle and energy to floor, and his enthusiasm is fun to watch. There are some questions about his defense at times, though. In the Big 12 Tournament loss to Iowa State, Georges Niang just bullied Traylor on the inside. The Kansas sophomore just could not contain Niang (he wasn’t alone in the failure).
Some fans want to compare Traylor to Kansas star Thomas Robinson, but that is a stretch. Traylor appears to be a nice piece, a valuable reserve, and not much of a star, or even a starter.
Still, Bill Self appreciates experience in his program. If others on the depth chart struggle to catch on to Self’s philosophy, Traylor could find himself starting for the Jayhawks.