Thursday the 15th and just two days to go before Saturday the 17th. What's significant about Saturday the 17th? Two of the top remaining guards in the college basketball recruiting world will be announcing their college choices at the Jordan Brand Classic in New York City.
Kansas fans know all too well the anticipation of chasing a big time recruit. Sometimes you win, sometimes you lose. With the departure of Xavier Henry however, Kansas has broken through and sent off their first one and done. Are these guys saviors? No they aren't.
Jump off that expectation bandwagon if you are aboard because more often then not it ends in failed expectations. High profile players go a long way in determining the overall success of a program, but they far from guarantee postseason success. Head into this with tempered expectations folks. It's fun to do the "what ifs" but after this years tournament, I'm more and more convinced that a lot has to go the right way to make it to that elusive mountaintop.
From the sounds of things Josh Selby, the #4 player in the country will be joining the Jayhawks as the potential starting point guard. Doron Lamb, a smooth shooting guard rated #21 in the country might be joining him. Lamb could also choose Kentucky, who really knows?
Either way the addition of one, especially Selby, does a lot to offset the losses the Jayhawks have incurred. The addition of two, and expectations of a 7th consecutive conference title likely heat up for Jayhawk fan.
Kansas' first experiment with a one and done was moderately successful. For the regular season through the Big 12 tournament the expectations were met. In the ever unstable NCAA tournament atmosphere Kansas came up short. From the looks of things this might be the new norm however. Kansas and Bill Self are going to build a nucleus of 3-4 year talent and plug in game changing one and dones to try and make it over the hump. It's worked in some instances, not in others. Kansas has only tried this trick once.
Ahead to Saturday night we go. Kansas appears poised to make a major jump in recruiting rankings and once again position themselves for a successful basketball season. Bill Self continues to prove himself as a recruiter and a coach and most of the Jayhawk nation will anxiously await, only this time I'll head into this with tempered expectations.
After the jump a tale of the tape rundown of Josh Selby and Doron Lamb.
Josh Selby
6'3" 185 pound point guard out of Baltimore Maryland. There was a time when Kansas didn't touch the Northeast. No longer the case with Bill Self around. Selby is viewed as an incredibly athletic scorer with the ability to get to the basket as good as anyone. During the McDonald's All American practices he was described as a "relentless attacker, Selby doesn't stop until he gets to the rim." Sounds like a Sherron Collins with a little more size and explosiveness.
Doron Lamb
6'4" 180 pound shooting guard out of the basketball factory of Oak Hill Academy. Lamb is viewed as a natural scorer who is as comfortable shooting from deep as he is with the mid range jumper. At this years McD's AA game Lamb was labeled the top shooting guard during the weeks practices by many. Lamb and his father have been very open about wanting to play with a dynamic point guard. Basically Lamb wants someone who can create and put him in a position to use his abilities. Probably why this appears to be a Kansas vs. Kentucky battle. Lamb isn't necessarily the game breaker that Selby is, but the #21 overall ranked recruit in the 2010 class is definitely a big piece to whichever puzzle he joins.