Jamari McDowell has a chance to factor into Kansas basketball’s rotation as a freshman

LAWRENCE — The moment Jamari McDowell truly understood he played college basketball for the Kansas Jayhawks came, understandably, on Late Night in the Phog.

McDowell, a freshman guard, never attended the preseason tip-off event as a recruit — although he said recently he now feels like he should have. What he experienced earlier this year in October blew his mind. Seeing a packed Allen Fieldhouse is a memory he won’t soon forget.

But what is soon, and is scheduled for Monday in fact, is Kansas’ regular season opener at home against North Carolina Central. After two recent exhibition games, and the three exhibition games back in August in Puerto Rico, the Jayhawks are about to embark on their 2023-24 campaign. And according to Kansas coach Bill Self, McDowell has a chance to factor into the Jayhawks’ rotation this season.

“I think that’s his ceiling, be part of our rotation this year,” Self said. “I also think he can be a Travis Releford here at Kansas, something like that. He’s still got a long ways to go. He needs to be a great defender, a great rebounder and a take-care-of-the-ball guy this year.”

Self explained he tells every prospect they recruit that the most successful freshmen they have are the ones who arrive and know there are things they don’t know. The ones who don’t realize that, who are stubborn from Self’s perspective, are the ones who struggle within Kansas’ system. And McDowell, Self outlined, is a part of the group — just as fellow freshman guards Elmarko Jackson and Johnny Furphy are — that understands.

McDowell, a former 247Sports Composite four-star shooting guard, explained his ability to be ready so soon coming out of high school comes from his willingness to do what Self asks. It comes from being disciplined enough to follow the system and not overextend as a talent. McDowell aims to stay within his role and focus on what’s important for the team.

In the exhibition against Illinois, McDowell’s playing time was limited and he finished with a touch under four minutes on the court. In the exhibition against Fort Hays State, he got a bit more than 12 minutes of playing time and collected a couple of rebounds and an assist. There have been a lot of changes to Kansas’ roster since he signed, and even since he first arrived on campus as a freshman. But even if what’s transpired has allowed McDowell to carve out a greater role he noted his mindset has always been the same.

“I know who I am,” said McDowell, who anticipated a challenging competition with teammates for minutes. “I know what I can do and I’ve got mental toughness. So, I just go in and remember what I had. I had my little cookie jar. I remember I have little things that I did. I remember. I know what I can do. So, I’m confident in that.”

Holding onto his role will likely require the same sort of effort that would get McDowell there in the first place — defense. Redshirt senior guard Dajuan Harris Jr. said he tells newcomers if they want to get on the court, they have to defend and not turn the ball over. It’s advice that sounds similar to what Self said when describing the role McDowell can have.

Harris highlighted that one thing that has impressed him about McDowell is McDowell’s effort defensively every day. McDowell, Harris said, is trying to get better just as the other freshmen and newcomers are. And if McDowell is able to realize his potential, Harris sees a ceiling for McDowell that’s pretty high.

“I think all the newcomers’ and our freshmen’s ceilings should be high,” Harris said, “if they come to Kansas as a freshman.”

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Jordan Guskey covers University of Kansas Athletics at The Topeka Capital-Journal. He is the National Sports Media Association’s sportswriter of the year for the state of Kansas for 2022. Contact him at jmguskey@gannett.com or on Twitter at @JordanGuskey.

This article originally appeared on Topeka Capital-Journal: Jamari McDowell could factor into Kansas basketball’s rotation