Last season the Kansas Jayhawks were awarded the overall number one seed in the NCAA tournament; in most people’s eyes, they were the favorite to take the title. Senior Sherron Collins was having an All-American year; center Cole Aldrich was coming into his own, becoming nearly as good a player offensively as he was defensively; and freshman Xavier Henry was a good as promised. Everything was shaping up for another National Championship. Then, an upstart Northern Iowa team took them out in the second round of the tournament. The championship dream was over. The Kansas players stood around shocked, as was a majority of those watching in the stands and on television. Now, there is only one thing they can do: try it again this year.
Players Leaving For the NBA Draft
After the disappointing loss to Northern Iowa, Kansas still looked like a possible number one seed heading into the next season. They were definitely losing Sherron Collins, the talented senior leader who held the team together with his toughness and determination. It all began to crumble around the Jayhawks after that. Soon, junior Cole Aldrich and freshman Xavier Henry declared for the NBA Draft; both are sure to be drafted within the first 10-15 picks so there is virtually no chance of them returning to school. In a matter of moments Kansas went from being a National Championship contender to a team that may possibly struggle next season.
