Hearing: Tensions Rise in Utah 😬

• 🏀 Hearing: Tensions ramp up in Utah

• 💰KU-BYU: Pro Money and Prediction

• 📝 Quick Links: Jayhawks unveil wild alt hoops jerseys

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EVERYTHING IN THIS NEWSLETTER IS BASED UPON WHAT I AM HEARING FROM PEOPLE I TRUST. PLEASE DO NOT MISTAKE THIS FOR FACT OR FOR ACTUAL JOURNALISM, WHICH HAS VERIFICATION STANDARDS THAT I HAVE NOT ADHERED TO. I DO NOT GUARANTEE THE ACCURACY OF THE CONTENT.

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• Which players are likely to return

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• And what factors are influencing these decisions

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Hearing: Inside KU’s Utah Confrontation 🚨

There’s been one question that keeps coming my way this season: ‘What do you think is wrong with this Kansas basketball team?’

There’s no short, simple answer to the question. And with a month of basketball to play, it’s probably unwise to judge a painting before it’s finished — even if it looks pretty damn ugly right now.

The following is what I’m Hearing and my attempt to make sense of the current KU tailspin beyond what you see on the court:

The best way I can summarize the state of Kansas basketball right now is:

1. A fractured relationship between players and the coaching staff

2. Meaning Bill Self has struggled to command trust in the locker room

3. And a culture has drifted away from the KU standards set by Self

Note: It’s oversimplifying things to lump everyone into groups, but this captures the gist of what’s happening, as I understand it.

I’m Hearing KU’s current Utah trip, intended as a bonding opportunity, instead exposed tensions within the team. I believe there was a direct and blunt confrontation after the Utah loss* where:

• Zeke Mayo voiced frustrations with the coaching staff (Likely representing how a lot of the players feel)

  • It wasn’t just Mayo, other players spoke up as well

• Some of the coaches strongly and understandably defended their point of view

• Dajuan Harris got vocal as well, shutting the whole back-and-forth down

*I’m not 100% on the exact timing. But I’m confident the postgame scene was tense.

Take note of Harris’ unusually pointed post-game comments below.

While an argument isn’t unexpected, the confrontation is notable for a team that routinely leaves the locker room putting their hands together saying 1-2-3 “family.”

These things happen during a season, especially when expectations aren’t being met. Frankly, I’m shocked (and somewhat concerned) it took this long to happen.

The following are some of the issues I’ve Heard about this year:

• There’s is a lack of trust between many of the players and the staff.

  • Players have been frustrated with inconsistent playing time that hasn’t matched their expectations.

  • Players have struggled to understand their role, or fit, on this team.

• At the same time, KU’s transfers have had opportunities and continue to make costly mistakes.

  • This includes not remembering plays, messing up defensive rotations on screen defense, and a general lack of hustle.

    • It’s hard to complain about playing time when these mistakes keep happening.

• There’s been talk of favoritism, where certain players don’t face the same consequences as the other players do for making mistakes.

  • I don’t think the long-time Jayhawks haven’t developed their games (or put in extra time away from practice) in ways that help motivate the team.

    • I’d also guess KU’s staff has less leverage to motivate players when they’re earning ~$400-750K.

• The staff has understandably leaned on the players they trust to play their style of basketball… especially when things aren’t going their way. And trust should be earned.

  • KU fans see such a small sample compared to what the staff sees every day.

• And while the roster gets along well — it still doesn’t mean they’re playing for each other as one team, with one goal.

  • Some players want to prove themselves above all else, some are happy getting paid, and others are already working the transfer portal, ready to get out of town (VIP Hearings coming later this week. Join here).

So maybe a moment like this is what the Jayhawks needed to move forward.

And if not… it’s hard to see how it would make things worse.

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Betting Market and Prediction

• 🏟️ No. 23 Kansas @ BYU

• 📺 8pm CT on ESPN

• Opening Line: Kansas as a 1.5 point underdog.

• Current Line: Kansas as a 2.5 point underdog (4:20pm CT, Tuesday)

• Betting Splits: 67% of bets on Kansas, 39% of money on Kansas on DraftKings (via VSiN)

To be clear: The following is just my interpretation of the betting market and a unique way to look at a game. It is in no way betting advice or suggestions.

💰 Analysis: Pro Money on BYU

This is a fishy betting line. It feels like Vegas is begging us to take Kansas as an underdog coming off a loss.

Pro Money seems to agree with that analysis, moving the line in BYU’s favor despite the majority of bettors taking Kansas.

These kind of lines are often called “traps.”

But we Jayhawks will do the trapping tonight 😅. I think KU got what it needed out of its system.

The Jayhawks will make us believe at least one more time this year. Maybe that starts tonight.

🔮 Kansas 70, BYU 67

 Help Spread the Word:

If you enjoyed this breakdown, please share this link with other KU fans.

🏀 KU unveiled new jerseys in partnership with the high-end streetwear brand, “Fear of God” for these new, alt jerseys for the Oklahoma State game.

🏀 College hoops Data Scientist Evan Miya explains why he’s buying low on the Jayhawks in a short video.

🏀 KU Broadcaster Brian Hanni shared this encouraging post about how hard Elmarko Jackson has been working behind the scenes (I’ve Heard the same, fwiw).