If there’s going to be something that we’ve rarely ever seen out of a Bill Self-coached Kansas team this season, it could be how he handles his rotation. The Jayhawks are deeeeep, arguably as deep as they’ve ever been, and that statement has an immediate caveat that needs to be addressed.
This is not the most talented bench Self has ever had. That would belong to the 2009-10 roster, which had three future NBA players (Markieff Morris, Thomas Robinson and Jeff Withey), plus future starters Brady Morningstar, Tyrel Reed and Elijah Johnson, and then Conner Teahan, the sixth man on the 2011-12 national runner-up, all coming off the bench.
But even with all that talent outside the starting lineup, that team ranked 182nd in bench minutes, meaning 181 coaches used their bench players more than Self. Justifiable, because Self started five future NBA players, and while those bench players were gifted and capable, there was a sizable gap between what Self…
