To keep thriving on offense in Big 12 play, KU’s Gradey Dick must continue level-headed play

WACO, Texas — Kevin McCullar Jr. has been through the grind of a Big 12 Conference schedule before.

McCullar, Kansas’ redshirt senior guard, spent his past four years playing college basketball at Texas Tech before transferring to join the Jayhawks. He remembers how challenging his first year was going through it with the Red Raiders. On Monday, he shared nothing but praise for how Kansas freshman guard Gradey Dick has handled the gauntlet of a conference.

McCullar, alongside Dick, was speaking after the No. 9 Jayhawks’ 75-69 loss against No. 17 Baylor. But that defeat also saw Dick score 24 points, the most he has so far during Big 12 play, while shooting 8-for-13 from the field, 2-for-5 from behind the arc and 6-for-6 from the free-throw line. Dick showcased how he can thrive offensively, despite the challenges opposing defenses present him and his teammates with.

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“The big thing is just keeping it level-headed, and just knowing, yeah, on the defensive side it might be face-guarding, but that’s just stuff we’ve got to figure out,” said Dick, who’s widely projected to be a first-round pick in the 2023 NBA draft. “There’s always going to be something we can do something differently, and whether it be face-guarding and getting other guys open, just driving, whatever it may be. And that’s what we’re going to do.”

Kansas coach Bill Self said Baylor looked to keep Dick and redshirt junior forward Jalen Wilson from winning the game from behind the arc, so the two had to find their opportunities elsewhere. Dick went 6-for-8 on 2s against the Bears, while Wilson — who shot 3-for-7 on 3s and scored 23 points — went 7-for-9 on 2s. The versatility gave the Jayhawks’ offense life at times against Baylor when their teammates struggled to hit shots.

That could put pressure on Dick and force him to throw up less-than-stellar shots, but that's a rare occurrence for the freshman. Keeping that composure under pressure is paramount for Dick if Kansas (16-4, 5-3 in Big 12) is going to remain in contention for its conference’s regular season title.

Dick is shooting 40.2% from the field and 36.7% from behind the arc during Big 12 play. Overall, he’s at 45.3% from the field and 43.7% from long range. More performances like Monday's will continue to bring his numbers closer to where he was during non-conference play.

“I thought he played well,” Self said. “Offensively, he saw the ball go in the basket — not really from deep, but he drove it better and did some good things without question. It was probably his best offensive game that he’s had in the last couple of weeks.”

Dick and the Jayhawks get a little rest from their conference slate Saturday, with a Big 12/SEC Challenge matchup scheduled on the road against Kentucky. The Wildcats (14-6, 5-3 in SEC) have struggled at times this season, but they’re on a four-game winning streak and Kentucky is 11-1 inside Rupp Arena this season.

Wilson is committed to helping Dick any way he can. Like McCullar, Wilson's no stranger to the Big 12 or big stages. He knows the kind of difference Dick can make offensively, with the freshman's success opening opportunities for others.

“I definitely think that we have to help him,” Wilson said. “Everyone knows he’s a great shooter and they’re not just going to let him get open shots, as he’s seen, and I think today was great for him to be able to make some shots and understand that it’s going to be like that every single night. Guys are not going to let him walk into 3s, they respect him enough that they’re going to make him put the ball on the ground and stuff like that. So, yeah, I mean, it’s on me, other guys, to get him through those kind of things.”

Jordan Guskey covers University of Kansas Athletics at The Topeka Capital-Journal. He is the National Sports Media Association’s sportswriter of the year for the state of Kansas for 2022. Contact him at jmguskey@gannett.com or on Twitter at @JordanGuskey.

This article originally appeared on Topeka Capital-Journal: KU’s Gradey Dick will try to stay level-headed during Big 12 play