Kansas basketball 2013-14 season preview

Outlook: After losing their entire starting lineup from a season ago, the Jayhawks’ success will hinge on their ability to play together as a unit in Self's system based on ball movement and efficiency. They will be led by No. 1 recruit Andrew Wiggins, a 6-foot-8 Canadian guard who likely would have been the first pick in last June's NBA Draft if he were eligible with his versatility and jaw-dropping athleticism. Wiggins’ matchup against Jabari Parker when Kansas plays Duke Nov. 12 could very well be the best individual battle in college basketball this season.

Despite Wiggins’ talent and prowess, the play and leadership of junior point guard Naadir Tharpe and sophomore forward Perry Ellis will likely determine how far Kansas goes this season. Tharpe and Ellis both showed flashes of brilliance and explosiveness off the bench last season, but will have to show improved consistency as starters for the Jayhawks to live up to the hype. Senior forward Tarik Black, a transfer from Memphis, will bolster Kansas’ frontcourt and also be counted on to provide consistency for the youthful squad.

The fifth probable starter for the Jayhawks is freshman guard Wayne Selden Jr., a Boston product known for attacking the basket at will. Freshman guard Frank Mason and sophomore guard Andrew White III will also likely see significant playing time, as will touted freshman center Joel Embiid, a Cameroon native who learned how to block shots by spiking volleyballs. Kansas also has a number of other young players who could crack the rotation this year. Despite their youth, the Jayhawks will have one of the deepest, most talented teams in the country.

One thing that needs to go right: The Jayhawks' individual talents mesh on the defensive side of the ball and Wiggins lives up to his billing as the best recruit in recent memory.

One thing that could go wrong: A lack of experience as a group results in poor execution and costly turnovers—the Jayhawks had more turnovers than assists in their first exhibition game against Pittsburg State.