Kansas Jayhawks star Hunter Dickinson still believes that his team needs what is needed to make a national championship run.
The preseason No. 1 team has not been perfect this season if they play the game of the conference tournament with a record of 20-11. The Jayhawks have not been arranged for the first time for the first time 80 consecutive weeks.
However, they still have one of the top players in the double all-American in Dickinson and one of the best coaches in the country in Bill Self.
“Yes, I feel that if one of my teammates or other fans need confidence, they have to watch that Duke match in November,” Dickinson said in an exclusive interview in an exclusive interview when he was asked if the Jayhawks could still win a national championship. “It was clearly a few months ago and teams are now very different. But if you can beat one of the best teams in the country in such a neutral site, you must always have faith in yourself. “
The 7-foot-2 senior Big Man spoke just before he played his last home game in Allen Fieldhouse and delivered a huge performance in an 83-76 victory over the number 24-ranking of Arizona Wildcats. Dickinson scored a season-high 33 points at 15-of-23 from the field (65.2%) and took 10 rebounds in the win.
Dickinson: Jayhawks have ‘low floor, but really high ceiling’
Although it has not been flexible for the Powerhouse of the College Basketball, they have had victories over ranked teams such as the Duke Blue Devils, Iowa State Cyclones and now Arizona. That in combination with the experienced experience in the team gives hope that the Jayhawks can make a run during March Madness despite their less than impressive record.
“We have defeated some of the best teams in the country,” says Dickinson. “We have lost a few lesser teams. I feel that it says we have a low floor, but we also have a very high ceiling. That is a bit of what you need in March Madness. You must have a high ceiling to achieve the expectations of winning a national championship. “
When asked what the Jayhawks should improve before the tournament starts, Dickinson said that defending the three -point line is the key. Kansas is actually a very efficient defensive unity when it comes to defending the three -point line, and is in 14th place while all a shooting percentage of 30.0% from outside allows. However, they are in 184th place in the country, making 7.6 three-point brands per game possible.
“I would say that defending the three -point line is a big thing that we should be able to do,” says Dickinson. “March Madness, teams can get hot and they get really hot from the three -point line. I think that monitoring the three -point line and then just keep sharing the ball.
“I think such things will be super big for us,” Dickinson keeps saying. “Next March Madness, if we do those two things, play with energy, play with passion, I think we will place ourselves in a good position.”
The fifth-year senior is no stranger to the NCAA tournament, after he led his previous university program, the Michigan Wolverines, to a sweet 16 performance and an elite 8-bid. He also led the Jayhawks to the second round last season. That was clearly a disappointing finish considering that Kansas also came in last season if the in the preseason No. 1 arranged team.
Dickinson: Championship Run would improve the design stock
Although the expectations are not so high to enter this tournament, since the Jayhawks are not -ranged and sixth in the BIG 12 Conference classification, he still wants to end his collegial career with a national championship.
Dickinson says that winning a national championship will only improve his concept shares before he enters the NBA concept.
“I would say that the most important goal is to clearly win a national championship,” says Dickinson. “To be able to show yourself as a winner at the highest level in college basketball, it is always good for a good professional career.”
Although the goal of the 24-year-old is to still win his first national championship, he also wants to improve his skills before he starts his professional career. The 7-foot-2 center is known for its Old-School Post-Play and scores the majority of its points. However, he does have a Mid-Range Springschot in his arsenal.
The key will be his three -point shot, something that Dickinson is still struggling with deep in his university career. After photographing only four attempts of three points during his first-year season, NUL-Hij actually improved his three-point shot to 42.1% during the 2022-23 season with the Wolverines. His three -point efficiency fell, but remained stable at 35.4%last season.
However, that level of efficiency has fallen to 20.9% this season because he has only converted nine Treys into 43 attempts.
“Just keep improving my three -point shot,” says Dickinson about what to improve. “A Down -Year, shoots the ball. My solution for that is just staying in the gym, continuing to work as hard as possible as I can with my shot, try to improve that as much as possible.
“I think that defensively just stays a rim protector in the paint, try to change as many shots, to block as many photos as I can,” Dickinson keeps saying. “Try to really help my teammates when they are driven and that power are down for my team.”
Dickinson, who is currently expected to be a pick in the second round or has not been ravaged despite his productive collegial career, says that improving his three -point shot and going out with a national championship would certainly improve his design stock.
“Those two things would certainly help the concept stock,” says Dickinson.
