Kansas Jayhawks ranked No. 1 in the country in AP preseason men’s basketball Top 25

Kansas men’s basketball will open the 2023-24 season ranked No. 1 in the Associated Press Top 25.

The Jayhawks on Monday received 46 out of a possible 63 first-place votes from a media panel that covers college basketball and were ranked No. 1 in the AP preseason poll for the first time since the 2018-19 preseason. Overall, it’s the fourth time in the 21-year Bill Self era KU has opened the season at No. 1.

KU outdistanced runner-up Duke, which received 11 first-place votes. Purdue received three first-place votes and starts the year at No. 3.

“With our (three) returning starters and the players we’ve added, I can see the writers putting us high in the rankings,” Self said. His 2023 recruiting class includes Big 12 preseason player of the year Hunter Dickinson.

“We welcome being preseason No. 1, but the goal is to be playing to that rank when it counts the most, at the end of the season,” Self added.

The Jayhawks finished the 2018-19 season ranked No. 17 by the AP. KU last was ranked No. 1 in the AP poll on March 18, 2020. That turned out to be the last poll of the 2019-20 season with COVID-19 forcing cancellation of the NCAA Tournament.

The Jayhawks also have been ranked No. 1 in the preseason poll entering the 2004-05, 2009-10 and 2018-19 seasons. Kansas was also No. 1 in the first poll of the 1956-57 season, but preseason polls did not begin until 1961-62.

KU, Duke and Purdue were followed by No. 4 Michigan State (one first-place vote), No. 5 Marquette, No. 6 UConn (two firsts), No. 7 Houston, No. 8 Creighton, No. 9 Tennessee and No. 10 Florida Atlantic.

The final 15 teams, starting at No. 11: Gonzaga, Arizona, Miami, Arkansas, Texas A&M, Kentucky, San Diego State, Texas, North Carolina, Baylor, USC, Villanova, St. Mary’s, Alabama and Illinois.

Kansas State, which recently announced a new deal for coach Jerome Tang, received 13 votes and checked in as the 10th team in the others receiving votes category. Missouri received six votes and was the 13th team in the others receiving votes category.

More on KU basketball’s ranking

• Kansas has been ranked in each of the last 39 AP Top 25 polls, dating to Oct. 18, 2021, the preseason poll of the 2021-22 season, which is the longest active streak in NCAA Division I.

• New Big 12 member Houston is second at 19.

• KU enters the season ranked No. 7 or better for the 12th consecutive season and 14 of the last 15 seasons.

• KU has been No. 1 in the AP poll 56 times throughout history.

• Last season, Kansas entered the preseason ranked tied for fifth in the AP poll and finished the year No. 4.

• The final AP poll of the season is released prior to the NCAA Tournament.