CHICAGO — The biggest storyline coming out of Kansas' appearance in the Champions Classic on Tuesday was established well before it defeated Kentucky 65-61.
Heck, it surfaced before the Jayhawks even left the Ritz-Carlton for the United Center.
In an oddly worded press release issued an hour prior to tipoff, the school announced freshman forward Billy Preston had been suspended indefinitely following a single-vehicle, non-injury incident Saturday on KU's campus.
In a statement, head coach Bill Self said that KU's administration "determined that we needed a clearer financial picture specific to the vehicle" before it would allow Preston to play.
Pressed by reporters after the game, Self explained that all student-athletes are required to register their vehicles with the KU compliance department. Self said Preston's vehicle was indeed registered, but that the school's compliance office "dove in a little deeper" after the incident.
"They wanted to get a clearer picture on how some things were done," Self said, "and we couldn't get it cleared up [in time for the game]."
The coach paused.
"That doesn't mean that something wrong has been done," he said.
Even if Preston isn't at fault—and Self insisted later he wasn't—the timing is terrible.
This season more than ever, college basketball is under a microscope following an FBI probe that resulted in the September arrests of multiple assistant coaches and shoe company executives for bribes and player payments.
The scrutiny is even more intense at Kansas, where a handful of off-court incidents in recent years have provided fuel for critics anxious to cast the program in a negative light.
If there was ever a time to be on your best behavior, this is it.
"I can't control any of that stuff," Self said. "People are going to say and think what they want, regardless of the facts."
That was certainly the case Tuesday.
Instead of the on-court action, the dominant topic on KU message boards during the Kentucky game was Preston's suspension. The situation got its own headline on the ESPN scroll, and you can bet that local talk-radio stations will spend the rest of the week bantering about Preston and the KU program in general.
At the least, it's a distraction.
And one this Jayhawks team, in particular, can ill afford.
More than any time in Self's tenure, depth is a major concern for the Jayhawks, who were down to seven scholarship players Tuesday because of Preston's absence.
Kansas is especially thin in the paint, where Udoka Azubuike is the team's only high-level big other than the 6'10" Preston, who is more of a stretch 4 than a low-post banger. Azubuike played 34 minutes Tuesday and managed to stay out of foul trouble. And somehow, a KU squad that employs a four-guard lineup managed to grab eight more offensive rebounds than Kentucky (18-10), which is as tall as any team in America. That won't happen often.
Arizona State transfer Sam Cunliffe, a 6'6" wing, will provide help on the glass when he becomes eligible next month. And the Jayhawks will likely add another piece in Silvio De Sousa, a 6'9", 242-pound power forward who is a senior at IMG Academy. If De Sousa graduates early and joins the team after Christmas as planned, he'll become an instant rotation player in the paint.
Still, the Jayhawks desperately need Preston, who Self believes has a higher upside than any player on KU's roster. Preston has yet to debut for the 2-0 Jayhawks, as he was suspended for Friday's season-opener for missing a curfew.
"I'm confident it will get cleared up," Self said of the latest incident, "but I don't know the time frame. They haven't clued me in on anything. When that stuff gets turned over [to compliance], coaches are totally eliminated from the situation. They won't tell me what's going on."
Self said Preston was "crushed" when he was informed during the Jayhawks' pregame meal that he wouldn't be playing, but that he regrouped and had a good attitude by tipoff.
"I'm proud of Billy," Self said. "He was a great teammate on the bench. Our guys will rally around him. It was very disappointing. I probably felt as bad for him today as I have about anything going on for a long time."
Still, Self was upbeat after the victory—and for good reason. The Jayhawks managed to win despite shooting 35.3 percent from the field. Guards Devonte' Graham, Malik Newman and Svi Mykhailiuk combined to go just 14-of-46. Nobody struggled more than Graham, who missed all but three of his 14 shots against Kentucky.
Self noted that the senior point guard played 39 minutes—"It would've been nice if we could've played seven guys instead of six," he said—and that fatigue could've affected his shot.
"He's a leader; he's a winner," Self said. "I think he'll show everyone that he's one of the top lead guards in the country."
And Kansas could be one of the top teams in the country—especially after it adds two new pieces next month, not to mention Preston, whether that's next game, next week or next year. In the meantime, there is little margin for error—or rest—with these Jayhawks.
And certainly no more room or patience for distractions like the one they experienced—and survived—Tuesday.
Jason King is a senior writer for B/R. A former staff writer at ESPN.com, Yahoo Sports and the Kansas City Star, King's work has received mention in the popular book series The Best American Sportswriting. In both 2015 and 2016, King was tabbed as one of the top five beat writers in the nation by the APSE. Follow him on Twitter: @JasonKingBR
Read Again http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2744377-preston-suspension-will-test-kansas-team-thats-undermanned-and-under-scrutinyBagikan Berita Ini
0 Response to "Preston Suspension Will Test Kansas Team That's Undermanned and Under Scrutiny"
Post a Comment