KU basketball’s KJ Adams isn’t known as a scorer. Here’s how he’s turned into one...
.JPG "Kansas forward K.J. Adams Jr. (24) is defended by West Virginia guard Joe Toussaint (5) during the first half in Morgantown, W.Va., Saturday, Jan. 7, 2023.")
Kansas forward KJ Adams won’t let anything faze him on the court.
Not even a loud, faulty shot clock or deafening, mistimed musket fire could make Adams lose focus.
Kansas was up by five points (40-35) with the ball for a final first-half possession. The shot clock malfunctioned and rang as forward Jalen Wilson put up a desperation three-pointer with around five seconds left. The shot clock should have previously reset and turned off following a miss seconds earlier.
At that same time, the West Virginia mascot accidentally fired a musket. Usually, the musket signifies the end of the half.
A calm and focused Adams grabbed a rebound off Wilson’s miss. Then Adams put up a shot and got fouled in the process. He sank both free throws, giving KU a 42-35 lead at halftime.
In the Jayhawks’ 76-62 victory over West Virginia on Saturday at WVU Coliseum, Adams showcased how locked in he’s been all season. Adams had 14 points, shooting 4-for-9 from the floor, with three rebounds.
Adams reached eight straight games scoring in double figures against the Mountaineers. Last season, Adams averaged one point in 4.7 minutes per game as a freshman.
“I don’t think I envisioned anybody that’s not a double-figure scorer averaging double-figures and (doing that for) eight consecutive games going into the season,” Self said postgame. “He’s proven he can be a double-figure scorer. He’s crafty enough. He can figure out different ways to get a basket and he certainly did that today.”
Perhaps the most impressive part? Adams went 6-for-8 from the free throw line after struggling there earlier in the season.
“The big difference with KJ is he is making some free throws,” Self said. “That wasn’t exactly the case when he missed the first eight of the season. He’s made enough to get up to 50% now. Hopefully, he can continue to improve on that.”
Let’s take a closer look at that scoring performance.
On Adams’ first basket, Kansas forward Kevin McCullar passed the ball to the sophomore forward, who stood behind the arc on the right side. West Virginia forward Jimmy Bell Jr. tried to reach for the steal, which put him in a bad position. As soon as Adams got the ball, he immediately drove to the hoop and dunked.
Adams first shot attempt was an excellent example of how being undersized can be an advantage at times. The 6-foot-7 Kansas forward was quicker than the 285-pound Bell.
The second Adams decided to put the ball on the floor, Adams knew it would be a challenging task for Bell to recover from his position and contest the shot. In the process, Adams showed off his elite first step, which gave him an open lane for an easy dunk.
Adams’ second make perfectly encapsulated how dangerous he is in the pick-and-roll. Adams started to set a screen for KU guard Dajuan Harris and then rolled to the basket. Both WVU defenders got caught for a second, Harris threw a high pass over the defenders and Adams received the ball under the basket. Finally, Adams hit a baby hook.
All season long, Adams has made a living in the pick-and-roll. On this play, Adams displayed a soft touch around the rim, where he’s shooting over 70% this season. Pay attention to how often Adams rolls when setting a screen. More often than not, KU will turn to a simple pick-and-roll with Adams for easy points.
On Adams’ third shot, he showcased some range. McCullar drove the ball, encountered two WVU defenders and dumped the ball to Adams at the top of the key. Adams stepped into the shot and calmly sank the open jumper.
Adams hasn’t shot a ton of two-point jumpers, but he’s made the most of his chances from two-point range. He’s shooting 17-for-33 (51.1%) on non-layup two-point attempts per hoop-math.com.
If Adams isn’t hesitant with his shot, it adds a new wrinkle to the KU offense. In this example, WVU didn’t quite respect his jumper and he was wide open with his defender in the paint.
If Adams reliably hits from the mid-range, not only does it space the floor for KU and give the Jayhawks five reliable shooters, but it drags his defender out of the paint. With Adams’ defender out of the paint, it gives Wilson and others room to operate.
Adams displayed his motor on his final make. McCullar attempted a mid-range jumper and Adams came rumbling in for the offensive rebound. Adams rose up between two WVU defenders and tipped in the ball.
Adams isn’t the most skilled rebounder, but he creates chaos and keeps plays alive with hustle and athleticism. He illustrated how valuable that is for a smaller KU team and it directly led to points.
When Adams plays with high energy, it’s infectious to the rest of the team. As a result, KU looks like a completely different team on offense and defense ... and good things start to happen for the Jayhawks.
This story was originally published January 8, 2023 at 5:45 PM.
