No. 3 – Kansas

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Sitting in the corner of a sullen locker room, Brandon Rush hadn’t even unlaced his sneakers. His uniform still clung to his body as sweat dripped from his brow.

Only minutes had passed since the final horn sounded in Kansas’ stunning setback against Bradley in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. But that was long enough for Rush, the Jayhawks’ top NBA prospect, to clear his head and make this declaration.

“I’ll be back next year,” said Rush, squelching rumors he might turn pro. “I can’t go out like this. It wouldn’t be right.”

Of course, nothing has been right at Kansas the last two years — at least not when it comes to the postseason. First came that humiliating first-round debacle against Bucknell’s Bison in 2005. Last spring it was those pesky Braves of Bradley who bamboozled Bill Self’s squad.

Kansas’ string of postseason disappointments seems destined to end in 2006-07. The Jayhawks return all five starters from a team that shared last year’s Big 12 title with Texas. Mix in a pair of freshman McDonald’s All-Americans, and it’s tough to find a squad as deep and talented as KU.

FRONTCOURT – Despite finishing third in the Big 12 in rebounding, the Jayhawks were often pushed around in the paint in 2005-06. That should change this season thanks to the addition of freshman Darrell Arthur, a freakishly athletic forward who could end up starting from the get-go.

The presence of Arthur will allow sophomore Julian Wright to play more minutes at his natural position (small forward), although the versatile Wright can play anywhere on the floor.

One of the biggest keys will be the improvement of juniors Sasha Kaun and C.J. Giles. Kaun is one of Kansas’ strongest, most physical post players. For the most part, though, his best games have come against weak opponents. Once considered a surefire first-round draft pick, Giles has all the tools to reach college stardom. But he has yet to master the mental game that’s imperative at the Division I level.

One of Kansas’ biggest lifts a year ago came from reserve forward Darnell Jackson, a quick, athletic banger known for offensive rebounds and hustle points. Expect Jackson to be a force again this season, although he could end up redshirting because of an abundance of bodies.

BACKCOURT – Not many schools in the country will tout a trio of guards as talented as the ones at Kansas. Self believes point guard Russell Robinson is the top “lock-down” defender in the league, but it was shooting guard Mario Chalmers who led the Big 12 in steals last season. Throw in heavily recruited freshman Sherron Collins — who should play at least 20 minutes per game off the bench — and the Jayhawks’ backcourt looks downright scary.

Robinson, Chalmers and Collins can all play either guard position. Robinson’s outside shot is sub-par, but he’s good at getting into the lane and to the foul line. Chalmers and Collins are both known as scorers. Kansas is also good at sharing the ball, as evidenced by the Jayhawks’ league-high assist average (17.85) last season.

The x-factor this season, of course, is Rush, a small forward who led KU in both points (13.5) and rebounds (5.9) as a freshman last year. Pretty much everyone associated with Kansas’ program believes Rush’s sophomore season in Lawrence will be his last, but Rush knows his game must improve greatly if he has hopes of being a lottery pick in the 2007 NBA Draft. After a breathtaking start, Rush fizzled a bit during the second half of Big 12 play last spring.

FINAL ANALYSIS – Kansas’ players said they drew inspiration from watching Florida win last year’s national championship with a team filled with talented underclassmen. There’s no reason to believe the Jayhawks can’t accomplish the same feat.

Self’s squad is as talented and deep as any team in the nation, and chemistry appears strong. One concern may be whether the Jayhawks will be tested.

The Big 12 will be weaker than it’s ever been, with schools such as Texas and Oklahoma in rebuilding mode. Texas A&M, Texas and Oklahoma State could challenge KU, but the Jayhawks get both A&M and OSU at home. Kansas went 16–0 in league play back in 2002. It’s no stretch to say it could happen again.