KU Basketball: Five Bold Prediction for Jayhawks This Season
By Joel Wagler
KU Basketball Bold Predictions Number Five: Playing Time
With only the ten scholarship players on the roster, everyone should get minutes. Foul trouble or injuries could boost up the playing time for the second five.
Still, don’t be shocked if Self leans heavily on his starting five, which should shake out to look like this:
- F – Landen Lucas – senior
- F – Carlton Bragg Jr. – sophomore
- G – Josh Jackson – freshman
- G – Devonte’ Graham – junior
- G – Fank Mason III – senior
Masan, Graham, and Lucas all have a lot of time in the program and games under their belt and have their coach’s trust. Bragg didn’t see a plethora of minutes as a freshman, though he did seem to be on the floor more often at the end of the season. He played nine or more minutes in five of the last seven games.
Don’t be surprised if all five starters average thirty minutes or more a game.
If Jackson is as good as his press clippings, he should not have trouble holding onto his minutes either.
You might even see four guards on the floor at once with Sviatoslav Mykhailiuk or Lagerald Vick playing next to the starting backcourt, according to Matt Tait of KUSports.com.
Don’t be surprised if all five starters average thirty minutes or more per game.
The least likely is probably Bragg because of his inexperience and the fact there are some good players behind him. Still, his skill set should keep his minutes up.
Self tends to lean heavily on his starters, especially when they are veterans. They may not be over thirty minutes a game during the non-conference portion of the schedule (at least after the first two games), but once Big 12 play starts, the starters will be in there!