Bill Self is learning more about the personnel — and how the pieces fit on his 2020-21 Kansas basketball team — after holding two intrasquad scrimmages with referees in successive weeks.
"We've had some separation, but haven't had as much separation as probably what you'd like this late into a practice season," Self, KU's 18th-year coach, said Thursday.
Practice started Oct. 15 and will run until the Jayhawks' first game, which is tentatively set for Nov. 25 against Gonzaga in Fort Myers, Fla.
"Let's say three or four guys we know they are going to be starters, but the separation is with the fifth guy. There's no separation," Self said. "They are good enough to be in the game when the starters are not in. It's probably a good problem to have."
He then listed some candidates for starting spots.
"You can make a case (perimeter players) Tristan Enaruna, Jalen Wilson, Tyon Grant-Foster or Bryce Thompson should and could all be starters two days a week. You could a make case that Ochai (Agbaji), Christian (Braun), Marcus (Garrett) and David (McCormack) are starters seven days a week. We just don't know how it's all going to play out," Self said, noting, "The most I ever played on the perimeter was five."
Self went on to say, "I think six is realistic, maybe the seventh as a spot person and you play two bigs. That's eight or nine (in rotation). I think we'll probably max out at that. I'm talking eight or nine playing double-digit minutes. It doesn't mean somebody else can't get in the game depending on situation and fouls and who is playing well that particular night."
Self said he's considering different styles of basketball to best use his team's depth.
"Could we press some? Zone press some? Yes I think we could do that," he said. "I haven't really thought about how to take advantage of our depth except to play so hard hopefully and defend so hard it forces you to play multiple guys and in the last 10 minutes it wears on people.
"I don't think we are overly athletic. I think we are very long which makes you look more athletic because you can shrink the court."
