Projecting KU basketball’s starting 5 after Kevin McCullar withdraws from NBA Draft

In early April, Kansas coach Bill Self emphasized how much he wanted KU guard Kevin McCullar Jr. to return for a sixth and final season.

Well, Self’s wishes came true on Wednesday — McCullar announced he would return to Kansas for the 2023-24 men’s basketball season.

Naturally, Self was thrilled.

“This is a big day for Kansas basketball,” Self said in a release. “We’ve had a lot of good things happen through recruiting this offseason, but nothing that has transpired this offseason was bigger for KU basketball than having a seasoned veteran like Kevin McCullar return to our program.”

McCullar is one of the three returnees from last season’s team, alongside Dajuan Harris and KJ Adams.

The Jayhawks may be playing one scholarship down as part of self-imposed penalties in response to the NCAA inquiry into KU basketball. As a result, Kansas’ roster now has 11 players with one open scholarship spot:

• Guards: Dajuan Harris, Elmarko Jackson, Arterio Morris, Jamari McDowell, Chris Johnson

• Wings: Kevin McCullar, KJ Adams (wing/big), Nick Timberlake, Marcus Adams

• Bigs: Hunter Dickinson, Parker Braun

Here is a first look at KU basketball’s projected starting five:

Point guard: Dajuan Harris

Last season’s stats: 8.9 points per game, 6.2 assists, 2.2 steals

Harris returns for his senior season as one of the best point guards in college basketball. The guard’s vision and pass-first mentality helped lead KU to a No. 25-ranked offense by kenpom.com. On the defensive end, Harris has a tenacity for steals and won Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year.

Perhaps one underrated aspect of his game, Harris can help Kansas space the floor with his shooting ability. He isn’t the most willing shooter, but he shot 40.5% from beyond the arc last season.

Shooting guard: Nick Timberlake

Last season’s stats (at Towson): 17.7 points, 3.9 rebounds, 2.4 assists.

Timberlake is KU’s replacement for sharpshooter Gradey Dick, who departed for the pros. Timberlake will provide much-needed spacing for the Jayhawks as he shot 41.6% from three on 6.7 attempts per game. He also brings years of experience along with his athleticism.

Timberlake will have competition for the starting spot, however.

• Arterio Morris — 4.6 points, 1.4 rebounds, 0.5 assists (at Texas)

The former five-star recruit transferred to Kansas earlier this summer after averaging 11.2 minutes per game at Texas. Still, Morris has great potential as an athletic guard that prides himself on defense.

“When he entered the portal, we went right after him,” Self said of Morris. “Arterio is one of the most talented guards in the country who hasn’t scratched the surface of his potential.”

• Elmarko Jackson — No. 20-ranked recruit, 247Sports Composite

Jackson is the most highly touted of the four freshmen coming to KU. Jackson has an elite driving ability and the ability to play through contact. On the defensive end, Jackson can guard multiple positions.

Small forward: Kevin McCullar

Last season’s stats: 10.7 points, 7.0 rebounds, 2.4 assists, 2.0 steals

McCullar’s return is big for Kansas for multiple reasons. First, McCullar is an elite defender who can guard multiple positions — he could even see minutes at the four, with Adams playing backup center minutes when needed.

Second, he’s an excellent rebounder for his size — 6-foot-6 — and often his rebounding leads to fast breaks for Kansas. Finally, he’s great at scoring inside the arc and can make the occasional three-pointer when needed.

Power forward: KJ Adams

Last season’s stats: 10.6 points, 4.3 rebounds, 1.9 assists

Adams played out of position at the five last season. But more often than not, he held his own against bigger and more physical centers. Now, Adams looks to slide down to the four as he works on improving his shooting.

Adams can defend multiple positions, which will make life easier for Dickinson and McCullar. On offense, Adams is near-automatic near the rim and is a great secondary creator alongside Harris. The 6-foot-6 forward does a lot of little things on both ends of the court.

Center: Hunter Dickinson

Last season’s stats (at Michigan): 18.5 points, 9.0 rebounds, 1.5 assists

Dickinson is the crown jewel of KU’s transfer class. With his scoring ability in the post, he will be the focal point for Kansas’ offense.

After shooting 42.1% on 1.7 attempts per game from beyond the arc last season, Dickinson said he plans to expand his range and take more three-pointers this year. That’ll allow KU to flip-flop between running traditional post sets for Dickinson and, at other times, playing Adams in the post and Dickinson on the perimeter.

On the defensive end, Dickinson is a solid rim protector averaging 1.8 blocks a game. He’s also an elite rebounder, which will help Kansas control the game’s pace.