The Young and the Restless

Is there any better way to describe the recruiting saga of Xavier Henry? There was his original commitment to Memphis, his decommitment from Memphis, his thoughts of choosing Kentucky or Kansas or staying with Memphis. There were rumors about pro ball in Europe. There was his commitment to Kansas. There was an article in the Kansas City Star questioning the reasons behind Xavier and his brother C.J.’s arrival at Kansas that led to both nearly reneging on their commitment to become Jayhawks for a couple days before — finally — the circus died down. Now all that’s left to see is if both Henry brothers can live up to the hype.

Lost in the Henry hoopla are elite recruits Elijah Johnson and Thomas Robinson. Both Rivals.com top-30 recruits, Johnson and Robinson, like Henry, are expected to immediately contribute for Kansas. Also inbound is Jeff Withey, who will be able to suit up for the second semester after transferring from Arizona and will give Kansas a 7-foot complement to Cole Aldrich in the paint.

Topping the Charts

No official polls have been released yet, but several prominent members of the sports media world have released their own selections for a top-25. Andy Katz, senior college basketball writer for ESPN.com, pegged the Jayhawks for the top slot, as did colleague and famed college basketball analyst Dick Vitale.

They are among the many who, since the announcements that Sherron Collins and Cole Aldrich would return, have speculated that the Jayhawks will be the team to beat.

There is a strong chance that, like eventual national champions North Carolina last year, Kansas will be unanimously voted to the top spot in both the AP and Coach’s polls.

Rocky Road

For the Jayhawks to hang on to their presumptive post at the top of the rankings, they’ll have to knock off plenty of solid competition along the way.

Of the Jayhawks’ 14 games before conference play begins, more than half are against 2009 NCAA tournament teams, including road games at UCLA and Tennessee and a neutral site battle with Memphis in St. Louis.

Once conference play begins, however, things may just get tougher.

Two conference games stand out on the schedule as perhaps the toughest tests of the season — at Texas, which looks to be nothing short of dominant in the South, and at Missouri, where the Jayhawks will try to avenge last year’s heart-stopping, buzzer-beating loss at the hands of Missouri guard Zaire Taylor.

— Edited by Megan Morriss