The ceiling for KANSAS?

"I’ve said this all along, a lot of teams this time of year, when you get to early February, they know where their ceiling is, and the great teams are operating pretty close to their ceiling.

“I don’t know where our ceiling is. And I know that we’re not close to it yet, though. So I think that we’ve got another big step that we can take, and it’s exciting to know that I believe our best ball can still be well ahead of us.”

Bill Self, after the 82-78 win over #1 and previously undefeated Arizona.
The Athletic: How No. 9 Kansas handed No. 1 Arizona its first loss even without star Darryn Peterson

You are most definitely not the only one beginning to wonder about him and his absences (entire games or big stretches of games).

I defended him on other sites until last night, but that last-minute pullout in such a massive game was exasperating if not infuriating. (And supremely disrespectful to his fellow players, IMHO, given how they gameplanned for the most elite foe of the season with him at the center of said plan)

This is a good video on the subject, and it bears noting that Mark Titus is a very sharp analyst and commentator - one who historically has really liked KU hoops. (So he’s not some conspiratorial flame-thrower)



“Strange days, indeed. Most peculiar, mama.”

- John Lennon

Re: DNP, I spotted this conversation this afternoon on JayhawkSlant (some text bolded for emphasis).

Poster 1
Peterson got absolutely lit up by Chris Childers on Full Ride this morning. There is going to be more noise on the national level on this deal.

Poster 2
There already is. His defenders have dwindled in numbers and DP has made himself into the poster boy of high level freshmen vs really good portal players regarding use of the payroll budget

Folks are feeling it, in both a good and a bad way, re: DNP…

JayhawkSlant poster today:

I’ve been defending DP all year. I’m done. Play him as our 6th man? Hell yes. Self has sold himself to the devil for this rare talent. But surely, he has had enough.

Ok, I think I have this in the right order:

Cramps
Hamstring
Cramps
Flu
Sprained ankle
Cramps
Flu… again
What’s next? The Black Plague?

Are we going to win the Natty without our “Jimmy Chitwood?” The odds would say no. But I have news for you, the odds would also say we’re not winning it WITH him.

So draw a dang line in the sand, Self. Tell the rest of our players, the guys you will have relationships with for LIFE – the guys you’ll have to look into their eyes for the rest of your life, (not DP’s eyes), and tell them that THEY are his and KU’s team, not this one 19-year-old who is on our campus for mere months.

Will this move possibly scare off a few unbelievably talented but incredibly enabled and spoiled 5-star recruits at some point? I sure the hell hope it does. There are more than enough 5-star freshmen who have NO problem fitting in with their team as freshmen. Off the top of my head, there is a wealth of incredibly talented team-first freshmen who have a 75-90% chance of being selected in the FIRST round of this year’s NBA Draft:

AJ Dybantsa
Cameron Boozer
Caleb Wilson
Mikel Brown
Nate Ament
Kinaston Flemings
Koa Peat
Labaron Philon
Darrius Acuff
Hannes Steinbach
Chris Cenac
Tounda Yessoufou
Braylon Mullins

These uber-talented freshmen have chosen to FIT IN with their team while also displaying their skills to the NBA, rather than playing the role of the selfish, zero-teammate, prima donna, chemistry-killing teenager who will end your soon-to-be legacy with a chronic scar.

So, please move this cancerous enigma to the 6th man role - and let Melvin, Flory, Tre, Bryson, Jamari (and Elmarko off the bench) carry the torch. They’re doing a dang good job at it. And it is fun as h*** watching their talents and epic guts – win or lose. If DP can’t accept his new role, who cares? He already seems to relish “6th man minutes.”

I can completely understand someone taking the 100% opposite view that I now have. I used to have it. Not anymore.

Rock Chalk Jayhawk