KANSAS

ESPN Analyst Joe Lunardi Delivers Strong Take on Kansas Basketball

Lunardi has placed the Jayhawks much lower in his bracket than usual.
Mathey Gibson|
Jan 22, 2025; Fort Worth, Texas, USA; Kansas Jayhawks head coach Bill Self reacts after a play against the TCU Horned Frogs during the first half at Ed and Rae Schollmaier Arena. Mandatory Credit: Chris Jones-Imagn Images
Jan 22, 2025; Fort Worth, Texas, USA; Kansas Jayhawks head coach Bill Self reacts after a play against the TCU Horned Frogs during the first half at Ed and Rae Schollmaier Arena. Mandatory Credit: Chris Jones-Imagn Images | Chris Jones-Imagn Images

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Kansas Jayhawks

Kansas basketball under Bill Self has been the gold standard of consistency in college basketball.

For two decades, the Jayhawks have been perennial contenders, never failing to worse than a 4-seed in the NCAA tournament.

Over 20 consecutive appearances, they’ve only found themselves in that position four times. In fact, half of those appearances have been as a 1-seed, not even counting the 2020 tournament that was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

So when ESPN's Joe Lunardi dropped a reality check on the current state of Kansas basketball, it raised some eyebrows.

According to Lunardi, the Jayhawks are set to enter the tournament as a 7-seed in the Midwest.

"To be fair, Kansas is a true six on our seed list (No. 22 overall)," Lunardi explained on X, "but was bumped down to avoid an early-round conference conflict."

Still, the 7-seed placement is a major shock for a program that has long been known for its regular season consistency and its near-annual placement as a high seed in the tournament.

Lunardi also pointed out that Bill Self’s teams have never faltered like this in the Big 12.

"Self never lost more than six Big 12 games in a season before last year (10-8)," he noted. "He’s sitting on seven league losses this season, so far."

For a team that was widely regarded as the preseason No. 1, the current struggles are especially jarring.

While Lunardi acknowledged that this could just be a brief blip in Kansas’ extended run of success, he didn’t shy away from the reality that this situation could mark a bigger shift.

“It’s probably just a blip in a two-decade run of dominance,” Lunardi said. “If it isn’t, all we can do is tip our hats to the passing of greatness.”

Kansas Jayhawks On SI

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Mathey Gibson
MATHEY GIBSON

Mathey Gibson is the Managing Editor for the Kansas Jayhawks On SI. A graduate of the University of Alabama, he has extensive experience covering major college sports, including reporting on Crimson Tide athletics since 2019 for outlets like Alabama Crimson Tide On SI, The Crimson White, and Tide Illustrated. Now focused on Kansas, Gibson has covered significant events such as the NCAA Tournament, College World Series, and the College Football Playoff, bringing a deep understanding of collegiate athletics to one of the nation’s premier programs.

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