Kansas Jayhawks: Injury Sinks Yet Another Championship Run
By trevb
It happened again. The Kansas Jayhawks once again fell short of their ultimate goal of making it to the Final Four. Once again they were missing one component that would have helped them in the game that ended their season.
The Elite Eight matchup against the Oregon Ducks was painful to watch for Kansas Jayhawks fans. Kansas had no answers for the Ducks. Meanwhile, the only bright spot in this game for the Jayhawks was Frank Mason who did everything he could to keep his college career alive. So what was KU missing? The answer is Udoka Azubuike.
Udoka Azubuike is a monster. His talent is on the raw side, but he is a enormous presence down low. However, that talent was stuck on the bench when it was needed most. The dominant center missed the end of the season, including the NCAA Tournament after having wrist surgery in January.
This team was athletic, fast, and practically unstoppable. Until they weren’t. Bill Self has pretty much set his reputation as a dominating regular season force, but falls short every time in the postseason.
As a Kansas Jayhawk fan I have experienced many losses in the tournament. I also remember the 2008 national championship where Mario Chalmers hit the game tying shot to eventually crown the Jayhawks national champions after regulation.
So, I do have hope, which is probably the biggest reason why I am disappointed time and time again.
To The Future
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Here is the good news: he will be back next season, along with Malik Newman, Devonte’ Graham, Sviatoslav Mykhailiuk, and newcomer Billy Preston. Considering how dominant Kansas was during the first three games of the tournament, honestly, will their ever be another national championship for the Jayhawks?
Next season’s team should be as athletic and a sizable one, too. With Azubuike in the paint this team should be again expected to go far. They always are, so what will be different next year? Well, Self loves a dominating force down low. It is what he builds his teams on, plus an athletic backcourt should help as well.
Landen Lucas was a great four year frontcourt for the Jayhawks, but he did not nearly have the size or power that Azubuike has. Azubuike fills a massive hole by being the sole, yet immense component to Kansas’ front court next season. That is if he stays healthy. Otherwise, he could be a repeat of Joel Embiid’s only season at Kansas.
Lets hope that Azubuike is the kind of big men that Bill Self loves to work with. 2008 was the last time the Kansas Jayhawks won a title so Self knows how to go all the way. Hopefully he figures it out next season because he is setting the trend for KU Basketball postseason play.
Every Jayhawk fan, like me, hopes Self can buck the trend for a 2018 national championship.