2011 Kansas Jayhawks

The 2011 Kansas Jayhawks finished 35-3 (14-2), winning the Big 12 Regular Season and Conference Tournament. The team earned a 1-seed in the NCAA Tournament and made the Elite 8 before losing. The team’s Sports Reference link is here.

OFFENSE

The 2011 offense was based heavily on the interior, with PF Marcus Morris producing the most value of anyone at +4.02. Markieff Morris and reserve Thomas Robinson were also efficient and productive, adding +2.78 and +1.29 points of value per game. The point production was fairly balanced among the main guards, although aside from Josh Selby it was clear that the role of the guards was to be facilitators first. The team’s true shooting was fairly balanced, again aside from Selby who took too many shots. This suggests the other players took shots at a sensible frequency that would best help the team win.

DEFENSE

The 2011 defense was an underrated group. Without a primary shot-blocker in the starting rotation; it relied on lateral quickness, communication, and rebounding. Junior PF Markieff Morris graded out as the best individual defender, winning 10.6 possessions per 60. His brother was also solid inside. On the perimeter Tyrel Reed, Josh Selby, and Travis Releford produced solid seasons. Brady Morningstar finished with positive value on this side (albeit not by much), and Tyshawn Taylor finished with the worst per game value score of any defender since 1997.

Total Adjusted PPG +/-

Marcus Morris and Markieff Morris performed a feat that has only been done one other time since 1997 (through the 2021 season), namely be a part of a duo that each produced over 5 points of per game value. Raef LaFrentz and Paul Pierce in 1998 also accomplished this. Beyond the Morris twins, KU had valuable bench forwards in Thomas Robinson and Mario Little. Tyrel Reed made a small contribution (+0.52) as a senior, as did Josh Selby in his only season (+0.20). The other rotation guards faired poorly. Travis Releford, who had a per game value score equal to Reed, could have made the argument that he warranted more time on the wing.

There was a lot of questions coming into the 2011 season for Kansas, but it soon became clear that Marcus and Markieff had improved enough to get Kansas to the heights it wanted to get. In their junior season, the Morris twins parlayed their starring roles at Kansas into mid-first round picks in the following summer’s NBA Draft. Each developed from inconsistent freshmen into lottery picks with similar but slightly different games that were good enough to stick around in the professional ranks. Like most players, their careers ended on a sour note. But without them, this team is nowhere near a 1 seed or Elite 8 caliber squad.