Who Are The Kansas Jayhawks? Head Coach, Top Players, X-Factor
Head Coach: Bill Self
Self is in his 19th season as the Kansas head coach and has reached his fourth Final Four with the program. He is the second-winningest coach in Jayhawks history, with 554 victories in his time with the program.
How Does Kansas Get It Done?
The Jayhawks love to live in the paint. They have wings and guards that will dribble penetrate constantly and look to finish at the rim, while center David McCormack rarely takes shots outside of the paint. If you hope to stop this offense, it will start with meeting them at the rim. With senior guard Remy Martin finally healthy as a microwave off the bench and the wing dynamism between Ochai Agbaji, Christian Braun, and Jalen Wilson, this team can hurt you in so many different ways.
Most Outstanding Player: Remy Martin
Martin came out of nowhere to win the Midwest region’s Most Oustanding Player. The senior transfer struggled to stay healthy throughout the regular season with a bone bruise in his right knee but has absolutely turned it up since the start of the NCAA Tournament. Martin has won three KenPom MVPs out of four games in the tournament and is averaging 16.8 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 3.3 assists on 54.5 percent shooting during their run. He is their catalyst off the bench, and when he is playing like this, the Jayhawks are incredibly hard to stop on the offensive end.
Top NBA Prospect: Ochai Agbaji
Kansas has gotten to the Final Four without a signature, impactful game from leading-scorer Ochai Agbaji. The 6’5″ senior is projected to be a lottery pick in the upcoming NBA Draft and is unstoppable when he gets going. He has length, quickness, and the ability to score at all three levels, making him one of the toughest defensive assignments in the Final Four.
X-Factor: David McCormack
McCormack’s presence in the paint is crucial for this offense. He is a bowling ball that showed his worth with a string of big-time buckets to spark the team’s dominant run in the second half of their Elite Eight win over #10 Miami. He snatches offensive rebounds at the fourth-highest rate in the nation and will be essential if they reach the national championship game in a matchup with either Duke’s Mark Williams or North Carolina’s Armando Bacot.
Kansas National Championship Odds
The Kansas Jayhawks are currently +180 to win the 2022 National Championship, per FanDuel Sportsbook.
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