Several preseason college basketball polls last year and the year before had the Kansas basketball team ranked number one. Now, everyone knows to take preseason anything - polls, predictions, All-American lists, etc. - with a grain of salt. They are often based on reputation or the name on the front of the jersey. Still, they can offer strong discussion points. 

Of course, the Jayhawks did not live up to those preseason expectations in either of the past two seasons. They finished 23-11 (10-8 in conference play) in 2023-24 and 21-13 (11-9) last season. Until two years ago, KU had lost as many as eight games in conference action since the 1980s, and they’ve now done that two years in a row. The 80s were also the last time Kansas won as few as 21 games (excluding the slightly abbreviated 2020-21 COVID recovery season).  

Add in the fact that KU didn’t make it past the first weekend in the NCAA Tournament the last two years, and it is understandable if the pollsters will be wary of the Jayhawks’ possibilities for success this season. 

Gary Parrish of CBS Sports released his early preseason poll, ranking KU 18th. In the brief blurb about his reasoning, Parrish points out that only the only returning player from last season is Flory Bidunga. There are several players who were in the program but redshirted for various reasons. This list includes Elmarko Jackson, Jamari McDowell, Noah Shelby, and Bryson Tiller. 

The first two played in 2023-24, Jackson more so than McDowell. Shelby will be a redshirt transfer who previously played at Vanderbilt and Rice. Tiller is a freshman who joined the team in January but sat out due to an ankle injury.

Of course, Kansas did add Darryn Peterson, the number-two recruit according to the ESPN Hot 100. The Kansas basketball recruiting team also added Samis Calderon, Tiller, and Corbin Allen to the incoming freshman class. Transfers Melvin Council Jr., Jayden Dawson, and Tre White round out the roster. Head coach Bill Self still has three open spots if he can fill them.

You can’t blame Parrish for his relative skepticism about the Jayhawks. Outside of Bidunga and Peterson, it is unclear how all the other pieces will fit. There are a lot of question marks about the rotation and if all of these strangers will play together within Self’s system. 

This will definitely be a season where Kansas basketball will need to earn a higher ranking. They will be tested early and often with non-conference tilts scheduled against Duke, North Carolina, UConn, Missouri, and North Carolina State. By mid-December, everyone should know if Parrish underestimated the Jayhawks or if his ranking was fair and accurate. 

It is indeed strange to see Kansas basketball ranked so low in any poll. Now they have to prove they are better than this ranking.