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2024-25 Kansas Jayhawks Basketball Predictions and Odds to Win the National Championship

by Ryan Cobbett - 11/3/2024

Kansas Jayhawks basketball predictions Hunter Dickinson

Last season the Kansas Jayhawks basketball squad had a rather disappointing end to the year thanks to injuries. Kansas started the season going 13-1, with their lone loss being against #4 Marquette. However, due to injuries to key players like Kevin McCullar Jr. and Hunter Dickinson, the Jayhawks limped to the finish line, losing three of their last four games in the regular season, and they were blown out in their first Big 12 Conference Tournament game, losing to Cincinnati by 20. They still managed to finish the regular season 22-9 and earned the 4-Seed in the Midwest Region. Despite being the higher seed, 13-Seed Samford gave the Jayhawks everything they had and fell just four points short of one of the biggest upsets in their program’s history. However, the injuries caught up to Kansas in the second round, as 5-Seed Gonzaga beat them by 21 points.

The Jayhawks averaged 75.6 PPG last season, which was good for fourth in the conference while shooting 48.8% as a team. The Jayhawks led the conference with 19 APG but finished last in the conference with just 8.2 offensive RPG. On defense, the Jayhawks held opponents to less than 70 PPG and limiting them to shooting just 41%. Their +7.8% FG% differential ranked sixth in the country last season while their +6.1 APG differential was the seventh best mark. The Jayhawks had three players average double-digit points last season, with forward Kevin McCullar Jr. leading the team with 18.3 PPG. Hunter Dickinson was one of the few players to average a double-double last season, as he averaged 17.9 PPG and 10.9 RPG while shooting 54.8%. KJ Adams rounded out the top three as he averaged 12.6 PPG while shooting 60.1% from the floor.

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Kansas Jayhawks Basketball Key Additions/Losses

The Jayhawks did lose a few significant pieces. However, after seeing who they added over the course of the offseason, it is no surprise to see them as the top ranked team in the nation heading into the new year. After leading the team in scoring last season, McCullar Jr. is now in the NBA after being drafted in the second round. Joining him in the NBA is Johnny Furphy, who averaged 9 PPG last season for the Jayhawks. Role players Nicolas Timberlake and Parker Braun ran out of eligibility.

Now for the additions. To start with, the Jayhawks signed two high school recruits this offseason. Five-star center Flory Bidunga (14th nationally) is joining Kansas as well as four-star shooting guard Rakease Passmore (49th nationally). Now it is worth noting that Bill Self’s starting five will feature the return of Dajuan Harris Jr., Dickinson, and Adams, giving the Jayhawks a great trio of returning starters. Joining them in the starting lineup will be transfers Zeke Mayo and AJ Storr. Mayo is coming over from South Dakota State after averaging 18.8 PPG, and Storr is transferring from Wisconsin, where he averaged 16.8 PPG. In addition to the two new transfer starters is high scoring guard David Coit, who will be a dangerous weapon coming off the bench. Coit averaged 20.8 PPG for Northern Illinois last season. Rylan Griffen (11.2 PPG) is transferring over from Alabama, Shakeel Moore (7.9 PPG) is transferring over from Mississippi State, and Noah Shelby is coming over from Rice after averaging 11.9 MPG for the Owls.

Kansas Jayhawks Basketball X-Factors

The rest of the conference- Kansas is the scariest team in the country. They have the best starting five and they have multiple weapons at their disposal coming off the bench. The key will be just how well the other members of the Big 12 match up. Sure, it is likely the Jayhawks will lose a few games, as the Big 12 is an incredibly deep conference. However, will teams like Houston, Iowa State, and Baylor be able to pace what Kansas should be doing, as well as take them down when it’s their turn? The Cougars and Cyclones have a ton of experience coming back, which helps, but so do the Jayhawks, and they have added two star starters via the transfer portal who should elevate this offense into one of the best in the nation. Dickinson is one of the best players in the country and now he has all kinds of weapons around him that can expand the floor and give the Jayhawks a solid three-point capability that they did not have last season. It will come down to matchups as it always does, but there is not a roster that can keep up with Kansas within the Big 12.

Kansas Jayhawks Basketball Notable Games

Home- #9 North Carolina, #4 Houston, #5 Iowa State, #10 Arizona

Away/Neutral- #7 Duke, #15 Creighton, #20 Cincinnati, #5 Iowa State, #8 Baylor, #4 Houston

Kansas Jayhawks Basketball Key Odds:

NCAA Champion: +1100

Final Four: +210

Conference Winner: +220

Wooden Award: Hunter Dickinson- +650

Wooden Award: A.J. Storr- +4000

Wooden Award: K.J. Adams- +17000

Wooden Award: Dajuan Harris Jr.- +18000

Wooden Award: Rylan Griffen- +25000

AP Top 25- 1st

Andy Katz’s Power 37- 2nd

KenPom- 7th

Kansas Jayhawks Basketball Predictions

As mentioned, with all the new weapons around him, Dickinson is going to win the Wooden Award this season. He will have a lot more room to operate, as opposing teams will have to respect Kansas’ newly found deep-threat ability. Harris is one of the best floor-generals in the nation and has a ton of experience, which will benefit the stars around him. Adams is a career 60.7% shooter, and Mayo will give the starting lineup a reliable deep-ball shooter. It is hard to pick against this team, as they resemble a deep and experienced roster like last year’s UConn team. Give me all the futures on the Jayhawks. And go ahead and take Dickinson at +650 to win the Wooden Award, because that number will quickly lose its juice as the season progresses.

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