FanPost

Hunter Mickelson can become an underrated veteran, even as a key 3rd option down low

As the summer slowly churns its way through June, KU players are starting to head back to Lawrence. Prepping and practicing work outs for their upcoming season. Like many, a wide range of coveted freshman will be the anchoring of a strong front line this November. Cliff Alexander, Kelly Oubre, Svi, and Devonte Graham are all key focal points to work with. Those however, are all incoming freshman, barring little experience.

Experience can be pointed at through all phases of the incoming roster. Mainly in the back-court; Brannen Greene, Frank Mason, Wayne Selden, Connor Frankamp all sophomores waiting to be more used in games situations, some that were denied the chance in freshman year. Overall, Kansas' guard play is their most interchangeable and lethal that provides depth and balance scoring from all angles. Similar to their guard production, the interior game carries baggage depth also. With the departures of 2 high-motored big men with Tarik Black and Joel Embiid, a major drawback could be seen from a scoring perspective. The understandment of how both Jamari Traylor and Perry Ellis work has become engraved by their first 2 years involved in the program. Perry Ellis, a solid lanky scorer who can get around guys with his athleticism purely, but is a major liability on defense. Jamari Traylor showed adequate progress from a scorer's standpoint in the NCAA Tournament as well as coming up big in terms of rebounding. Landan Lucas was used in stretches, but nothing too strenuous to denoun a further comparison.

All of these tangibles showcased can become more explosive rather expanded with the addition to Kansas' lone Senior gathering playing time, Hunter Mickelson. As we all know Mickelson sat out last season by red shirting, after transferring from Arkansas. Where he was a durable down low and an excellent rim protector. Now time will tell if he brings the same shot blocking nature as Jeff Withey and Joel Embiid did. By averaging 8.4 ppg shows he has much more room to grow scoring, while he already a stout rebounder can help complement Jamari Traylor, in this case. In all relativity, Mickelson to me is digested as a Kevin Young type guy. (Please don't mind what Young brought to the table, I saw his values being well distributed in his 2 years here.)

Certainly his addition makes a possible 5 man rotation inside, which is more than enough of what Bill Self likes in his game plan. Mickelson, has an opportunity that Tarik Black mainly utilized late in February, to get going. Will be in terms of an overall presence to help generate himself in the added equation.

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