Bill Self says Hunter Dickinson's transition to Kansas has been 'seamless'

Hunter Dickinson’s game will undoubtedly translate at Kansas. After all, he was an All-American at Michigan and has been a dominant low-post scorer since the day he entered college. Jayhawk head coach Bill Self isn’t worried about Dickinson’s ability to make an impact. However, he does know that going from another school to the system Self’s implemented at Kansas will be a challenge, especially for a plodding center like Dickinson.

Self has increasingly favored small ball lineups over recent years, often deploying wings and bigger guards at the four alongside a true big sort of like Dickinson. But last season, Self abandoned a traditional big in the starting lineup altogether by playing the 6-7 KJ Adams at center most of the time and to great success. Adams is back this year but the addition of Dickinson suggests Self is pivoting back to having a traditional five man. If he’s going to reach his ceiling at KU, though, Dickinson has to commit to playing actively, per Self.

“I would say it’s been very seamless transition, but he’s not used to playing the way that we’ll play,” Self said at a recent press conference. “So it’s probably — the activity level is really going to be higher than he has been accustomed to, because he was designed to be the center point of everything and it was…let’s slow it down and make sure he gets a touch. You know, we’re gonna make sure he gets his touches as long as he can play patient. He wanted to play in, so he’s got some things he’s got to work on.”

You won’t be seeing the Michigan version of Hunter Dickinson in Lawrence this coming season. Instead, Self will have him more committed on defense and playing with energy like Udoka Azubuike and David McCormack had, while still scoring down low as he has the last three years.

Kansas adds former player as practice depth

In an interesting turn of events, Zach Clemence will return to the Kansas basketball team after all. The Jayhawk forward originally entered the transfer portal after the end of the season and committed to UC Santa Barbara, but now, he’s reportedly reneging on that decision to return to Lawrence and rejoin the Kansas team.

Here was KU hoops insider Michael Swain’s report of the news, which came from Bill Self’s press conference:

“Zach Clemence is back in Lawrence and is enrolled in classes at the University of Kansas, sources tell 247Sports. Bill Self confirmed the news during a press conference.”

Swain added that Clemence is expected to redshirt this coming season even though he’d be eligible to play.

“Clemence initially announced his intention to transfer from Kansas this past spring and committed to UC Santa Barbara, but he did not enroll at UCSB and therefore is not a two-time transfer, so he could have been eligible to play this season,” says Swain. “But the expectation is that he will redshirt at KU next season. He will have two seasons of eligibility remaining after the redshirt season.”

So, Zach Clemence is back with the Jayhawks after all but, as of now, plans to redshirt this coming year. Of course, that could always change if injuries or other various obstacles force Self to lean on his depth in the front-court.