Length, quickness, finesse and a healthy mix of Collins and Aldrich define this years KU Basketball offering.  Just how many tools are at Bill Self’s whimsey should be solidified by later today.  Hoftstra would enjoy being privy to that sort of info, but in reality, the outcome for them has been decided already.  This right here is a road map for our early season lineups; sans Withey, CJ, Releford, Little and Old Man Morningstar.  We might have a few or many of them at our disposal later in the year, but we had a hard enough time finding guys time to enjoy the drubbing of Pitt State from the sideline…there is just too much talent on this team.  So, without knowing the full offering that we shall sacrifice to the basketball gods, let us look at what KU has to offer now.  (Hint, it is pretty fucking awesome)

Team 1a

PG – Tyshawn Taylor, SG – Sherron Collins, SF – Xavier Henry, PF – MK Morris, C – Cole Aldrich

There are some accolades that accompany a team like this.  Outside of Morris, all of them are celebrated for their general play, whether high school, summer or collegiate.  The amazing thing is that the most improved (probably) player on this squad is Morris…even when you substitute his brother in this roll.

Team 1b

PG – Sherron Collins, SG – Tyrel Reed, SF Xavier Henry, PF MC Morris, C – Cole Aldrich

Throw in a bit of white chocolate and you get Reed subbing out Taylor.  What he lacks in playmaking and defense(which isn’t bad..kid has a motor), he makes up for with huge shots, he hits with more accuracy and the more I see him play the more I realize that he is a more functional Brady Morningstar…with a better stroke.  The fact that he is more clutch only adds to the upside.   Marcus can add to the outside option, or so we have been told so many times.  The question begs, how do you cover 4 outside options if Marcus is a threat?

All press team

PG – Tyshawn Taylor, SG – Elijah Johnson, Wing – Xavier Henry, PF – MC Henry, C – Thomas Robinson

This just got a lot more fun.  The challenge of the double team is intensified by the ability of the bigs that not only move, but move with quickness and length.  KU doesn’t run zone press…almost never…but if we wanted to, this is perhaps a better squad than ‘07.  Eilijah’s hands have been great so far and Tyshawn sets it up very well.  You lose nothing with having Marcus or Thomas back as a spy either.  After the steal…I don’t know if there is a better group anywhere.

*Throw in Sherron for either Taylor or Johnon, not much drop and for long-range upside.

The Bruisers

PG Sherron Collins, SG Xavier Henry, SF Marcus Morris, PF Thomas Robinson, C Cole Aldrich

Muck it up for a bit, not a squad that will see a lot of time.  But, if you want to impose your will against, well any, opponent in college this team would do the job.  The amazing thing is that you don’t really lose your racing horses.  You still have two bigs and two smalls that run the floor with great abandon.  Cole Aldrich (he’s no Dexter Pittman, or so I am told) will be able to defer once the entry is made and if a miss should occur, I like our chances.

Wildcard

PG – Eilijah Johnson, SG – Tyrel Reed, 3 – MC Morris, F – Thomas Robinson, F – MK Morris

A very unlikely combination, but I still like the ability against almost any team.  This might be the most implausible and crazy collection we can come up with, not saying I want to see it often, but if this is as bad as it gets….well, I like our shot against 3/4 of our schedule.  A lineup like this for a full game beats Colorado, it has to.  If this is our worst, I like our shot at a title.  Wait, we get our choice of Little, Releford, Morningstar and Withey too later on?  Well it is getting a bit unfair now.

Oh shit, I forgot CJ…