Can the Jayhawks mature past offseason fiascos?

Too much negativity has surrounded the team of late. It will take some time to get the infamous brawl, Brady Morningstar’s suspension and Markieff Morris’ joy ride out of our minds, but it can easily be done. It is bad enough that now Tyshawn Taylor has to recover from an injury following his splendid summer overseas. But the basketball season is here and now is the time to act professionally and earn redemption. The main focus will be on the team’s performance, so if Kansas can get off to a fast start and win early, people may say, “What fight?”

Can the team keep the target of No. 1 on its back?

The Jayhawks are preseason ranked No. 1. They have the top two players in the country. All of their regular season games are on national television. Their top nine scorers from a year ago are returning and the team has top notch recruits. There is a lot riding on the team this year and players and coaches said that’s where they would like to be. The pressure they face is pressure they earned. Fourteen games (including exhibitions) are against teams that made the NCAA tournament a year ago. Two of their bouts are against UCLA and Memphis, teams Kansas has recently had memorable games against. And that’s just the beginning of the team’s daunting schedule. The Jayhawks will be tested, but if they lose the bull’s-eye on their back at any point, then the team will not have done its job.

Will Xavier Henry prove to be NBA quality?

The most recent offseason drama has masked the summer antics of the Henry brothers. Put all the commitment questions to rest; they are here and they are enjoying their time. The question is whether what their father said is true and Xavier has the talent to be a top NBA pick. In a team dedicated to selflessness and already with the top two players in the country in Sherron Collins and Cole Aldrich, it will be interesting to see whether a newcomer can get in on some of the limelight.

Will freshmen give hope for the future?

The 2009-10 freshman class is made up of outstanding, highly touted individuals who have the potential to make an immediate impact. Elijah Johnson, C.J and Xavier Henry, Thomas Robinson and Jeff Withey have the talent to make it less unsettling for fans when Sherron Collins and Cole Aldrich leave for the NBA. Kansas’ perimeter shooting was its biggest ailment last year. Someone needs to step up and contribute big time in that area.

How will talent level affect minutes, egos and chemistry?

Kansas is stacked top to bottom. Players such as Tyrel Reed, Mario Little, Brady Morningstar, Travis Releford and the freshmen can make up a solid starting college roster themselves. But with such a complete roster, some players who saw big minutes last year will see their roles decline. Returning players such as Marcus Morris had great offseasons and may see more playing time. If all goes well, Collins and Aldrich won’t have to shoulder a massive load and have every victory hinge on themselves. Coach Bill Self is as good as any coach at getting players to be selflessness and instilling a championship mentality in them. If this team is anything like the 2008 national championship team, then the sky is the limit.