Kansas basketball put up a decent fight in the first half against Gonzaga. However, the Bulldogs totally ran away with it after outscoring the Jayhawks 46-24 in the second half. After the game, head coach Bill Self made an eye-opening admission on the state of his team.
During the postgame press conference, Self was asked if he was already thinking about next season and how to improve the team. The veteran head coach immediately admitted, “For the last month I've been thinking about next season, to be honest,” according to CBS Sports.
In his full statement, the Kansas basketball coach felt depth may have been the missing piece for the Jayhawks to succeed this season.
“For the last month I've been thinking about next season to be honest.”
—Head coach Bill Self pic.twitter.com/qqLdn1zjnb
— CBS Sports College Basketball 🏀 (@CBSSportsCBB) March 23, 2024
Perhaps it was the lack of depth that led to the Jayhawks' demise. They had absolutely no answers for Gonzaga and looked like the Monstars stole their talent during halftime. Luckily for Bill Self, the transfer portal is open and him and his staff can try to reel in some exciting talent for next season.
On top of that, Kansas basketball is routinely one of the best programs in the nation. If anybody can turn things around quickly, it's the Jayhawks, especially considering the program just won a championship in 2022.
With that said, Bill Self is likely going to take the next steps necessary to build a deeper roster for next season. If that's what he felt was the difference this year, it makes sense for him to find better talent through the transfer portal or recruiting. It's just a shame the Jayhawks couldn't go on a deeper run as they haven't advanced beyond the round of 32 since 2022.
What's next for Kansas basketball?
The Jayhawks are going to look a lot different next season. Kevin McCullar, Nick Timberlake and Parker Braun are all moving on as their eligibility is up. However, there is hope that star players Hunter Dickinson and Johnny Furphy will return in 2024-25. Dickinson lacks athleticism for the NBA and is likely to return for a another year of college basketball. Meanwhile, Furphy has a chance to improve his Draft stock for 2025.
Kansas basketball reeled in some exciting high school recruits for next season too. Flory Bidunga, Labaron Philon, and Rakease Passmore are all top recruits in the nation and have the potential of making an immediate impact for this team next year.
With several players returning to the roster, Kansas basketball shouldn't be too far away from having a stellar roster once again. The transfer portal is going to be crucial for the Jayhawks to improve. But with Bill Self leading the way, this program can easily find its way back as a championship contender.
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