Dickinson relishes Kansas’ being ranked No

• Myron Medcalf, ESPN Personnel WriterOct 18, 2023, 08:22 PM ET

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  • Covers college basketball
  • Signed up with ESPN.com in 2011
  • Graduate of Minnesota State University, Mankato

KANSAS CITY, Mo.– For Kansas, the team’s No. 1 ranking in The Associated Press top-25 preseason poll is not a surprise. For Hunter Dickinson, the former Michigan star who signed up with the Jayhawks in May, the ranking is validation.

“I like it. I like individuals understanding it since I desire them to understand we’re much better than them,” Dickinson informed ESPN on Wednesday at Big 12 media day in Kansas City. “And they’re can be found in here to attempt to disturb us.”

Dickinson, who has never been bashful, balanced 18.5 points and 9.0 rebounds per game for Michigan last season and secured All-Big 10 second-team honors. The proficient, 7-foot-2 center likewise made 42% of his 3-point attempts.Editor’s Picks 2 Related His adaptability adds a vibrant

that will make Kansas a hard matchup for any opponent. While Bill Self has actually coached a plethora of skilled big males in Lawrence, consisting of existing NBA MVP Joel Embiid, he stated Dickinson tops the list, a minimum of in one location.”He’s the very best offending huge I’ve ever had,”Self informed ESPN.”Not the very best defensive [center] He’s got to improve: athleticism, protecting the ball screen. …’How are you going to utilize him in specific situations? ‘However as far as,’Can he shoot it? Can he pass it? Can he score on the block? Can he play out of [double-teams]’There’s a lot of things that he does that are gifted, that hopefully we can make the most of. Since I believe he’s really, actually skilled.”Michigan connected on 52.2 % of its shots inside the arc with Dickinson

on the floor last season, per hooplens.com. His arrival positions Self to chase his 2nd championship game in 3 years.Along with Dickinson, Kansas returns Kevin McCullar Jr., Dajuan Harris Jr. and K.J. Adams Jr.– 3 of the top 5 scorers from last season’s group– on a lineup that will compete for Self’s 17th Huge 12 title.The course to that league championship, however, will be more challenging this season with powerhouse Houston joining the league.

Kansas will face the Cougars on Feb. 3 in Lawrence and again on March 9 in Houston in the regular-season ending for both teams. Still, the spotlight and pressure do not worry a Kansas group that hopes to lower the internet in Phoenix, website of this season’s Last 4.” We just have to keep can be found in every day to attempt to improve due to the fact that we know everyone else will try to improve to try

to beat us due to the fact that we’ve been running the league for the longest,” Harris said.”Everybody will give us their finest shot.”