To clarify: those numbers only include the eight games Azubuike was available (not counting Wofford, when he got hurt early), so it’s not distorted by extraneous data. When they had him on the court, the Jayhawks were dominant with him owning the paint – it’s that simple. De Sousa and McCormack are tireless rebounders, but neither brings the same kind of utter supremacy that Big Doke does.

Of course, when Self does have an inkling to go smaller, a couple late additions bolstered his ability to do just that. Iowa grad transfer Isaiah Moss and top 50 freshman Jalen Wilson both came available after committing elsewhere, and Self pounced, offering guaranteed minutes for a national title contender. Neither is a high volume three-point shooter, but both are efficient when left open, and Wilson (or human glove Marcus Garrett) can guard opposing fours in a pinch. Spacing the floor even more with shooting would make Azubuike nearly unguardable inside, and the offense could explode if he shows more passing against double- and triple-teams.

Dotson is the catalyst on the perimeter, a shifty point guard who played some of his best ball in the postseason (Big 12 and NCAA Tournaments). He wasn’t the same kind of one-man wrecking crew with the ball in his hands that Devonte’ Graham and Frank Mason were, but with another year of development under Self, big things are coming for the former 5-star recruit. He often didn’t have enough shooting threats around him to whom he could distribute, thus allowing defenses to collapse, but the additions of Moss and Wilson plus more experience for Ochai Agbaji should alleviate that somewhat. Freshmen guards Issac McBride and Christian Braun (shooter extraordinaire) could be potential offensive sparks, as well, but given the skill and depth of the returning rotation, the two rookies will have to fight tooth and nail amongst each other for whatever minutes come available. Self has played his starting PG heavy minutes recently, but McBride will likely back up Dotson with the news that DaJuan Harris will redshirt.

The defensive end could be a massive strength for the Jayhawks, as well. Self’s best defenses were when he played two bigs and dominated the paint, and although Azubuike is not mobile enough to switch on the perimeter, de Sousa and McCormack might be. Obviously, Big Doke will eat souls inside at his massive stature, so Self will just need to be smart about his pick-and-roll coverages when opponents try to target the gargantuan center. Mitch Lightfoot is another option, but that Athletic article linked above hinted that he might redshirt, which is probably smart given the abundance of depth on this team. On the outside, Garrett may be the best perimeter defender in the Big 12, and he can shut down almost any type of offensive threat save for true post players. Agbaji, Moss, and Wilson are switchable with versatility and size, and Dotson brings a solid presence guarding the ball. I’d expect the Jayhawks to be in the top 15 nationally on D, at a minimum.

Bottom Line: The hiatus away from the top of the Big 12 standings likely only lasts a year in Lawrence, as Bill Self has the firepower up and down the roster to start a new streak in 2020. The question marks that do exist, like the switch back to two bigs and whether there’s enough wing scoring to really threaten opponents, are mitigated by Azubuike’s titanic frame and Dotson’s likely leap, and the star power around the conference is depleted (try putting together a Big 12 all-conference list – it’s tough). The Jayhawks are a real threat for the national title, and if Wilson and Moss pan out, they’ll push Michigan St. and Duke to be the favorite to ultimately cut down the nets in Atlanta.