2009 Kansas Jayhawks

The 2009 Kansas Jayhawks finished 27-8 (14-2), winning the Big 12 Regular Season. The team earned a 3-seed in the NCAA Tournament and made the Sweet 16 before losing. The team’s Sports Reference link is here.

OFFENSE

The 2009 offense was led by junior point guard Sherron Collins, who produced 21 points a game, shooting 29.1% of the time. He added 4.01 points of value above a replacement-level player. Collins’s efficiency was low due to the need for him to generate so much offensive opportunity for the team. Sophomore center Cole Aldrich had a strong true shooting percentage of 59.4%. A solid offensive rebounder, Aldrich was the team’s most efficient rotation player and provided +2.41 points of value. Junior Mario Little was the team’s third-most valuable offensive player, buttressed by strong rebounding and low turnover numbers. Freshmen Marcus Morris and Tyshawn Taylor were the other two rotation players to add value on offense.

DEFENSE

On defense, Cole Aldrich anchored the team to the tune of +3.14 points of value per game. Aldrich was able to dominate inside, blocking shots and rebounding the ball, limiting easy baskets and second chance opportunities. The other Jayhawks did their part on this end, with Marcus Morris and RS junior Brady Morningstar adding nearly a point of value each. The team’s defense was what carried it.

Total Adjusted PPG +/-

Cole Aldrich was the team’s most valuable player for the 2009 season, and had the 8th most-valuable season for a Jayhawk over the 26-season period of 1997-2022. With the caveat that not all defensive information was available for this season, Aldrich graded out as the best interior defender in the Bill Self era (2004-2022). His running mate Sherron Collins was not far behind, generating his value from offense. Collins posted only 1 of 10 +4.00 offensive value scores from 1997-2022. Marcus Morris was also a solid piece for the 2009 team, as his +1.21 score was nice value from a true freshman.

This chart helps to visualize where KU was getting its value. Brady Morningstar, who finished second in minutes played, likely played too much given his low offensive output. With multiple newcomers, the team relied heavily on its key returnees and hoped that its role players would do enough to keep the team competitive. For the most part, this was the case.

The 2009 team won the Big 12 Regular Season title, KU’s 5th in a string of 14 in a row, and had two solid outings in the NCAA Tournament to avoid potential upset bids and make the Sweet 16. With a rematch against a Michigan State team that soundly beat them the first time, Kansas jumped out to an early lead but lost control down the stretch and ultimately, also lost the game. Following the 2008 championship and departure of so many key players, the 2009 season was proof that Kansas was the caliber of program that would reload, not rebuild.