Kansas Jayhawks 2021: News, Schedule, Roster, Scores, Injury Report

The Kansas Jayhawks compete in NCAA Men’s Basketball as a part of the Big 12 Conference. Baylor, Texas, Oklahoma, and West Virginia are some notable opponents from their conference. According to the university, the origin of the 'Jayhawks' comes from "Kansas being a free state, and the people who were trying to keep it free were called 'Jayhawkers"

The current logo of the Jayhawks is a colorful and cheerful bird that was first introduced in 1946. In 2006, there was a slight tweak to the logo. The KU written on the bird had a change in the font, and it was made more elegant. The first logo was introduced back in 1912, which was a blue bird with crossed legs and shoes.

The basketball program at Kansas was started by the inventor of the game, James Naismith, who founded the Jayhawks basketball team in 1898.

History

Who is the Coach of the Jayhawks?

The current coach of the Jayhawks is Bill Self. After starting out as an assistant in 1985, Self left for better prospects just a year later. Then in 2003, he returned as the head coach of the Jayhawks and has been at the helm since then.

In the current college circuit, Self is one of the most successful coaches around. At Kansas, he has a phenomenal record of 501-109 with a winning percentage of 82%. He has led the team to the title once back in 2008 and has won many awards like the AP College Coach of the Year and Naismith College Coach of the Year Award for his accomplishments with the Jayhawks.

Who is the Athletic Director of the Jayhawks?

The Athletic Director for the Jayhawks is Jeff Long. He was appointed in 2018, after over three decades of experience at the Division 1 level. Prior to working with the Jayhawks, Long served as the Athletic Director for Arkansas for almost a decade.

Before he started working as an Athletic Director in 1988, he worked with multiple colleges as a coach as well.

Achievements and Championships

The Jayhawks basketball program is one of the most reputed programs in the country. They have played the most games in Division 1 history and have amassed the second-most wins of all time with 2302 wins.

They hold the record for the most consecutive conference titles. From 2005 to 2018, the Jayhawks won an outstanding 14 straight Big 12 Conference titles.

With an active streak of 30, Kansas also holds the record for most consecutive appearances across Division I. This streak started in 1990 under Roy Williams and is still going strong under Bill Self.

The Jayhawks won three NCAA Division 1 titles so far, with victories in 1952, 1988, 2008.

Greatest NBA Players

The Kansas Jayhawks have been engraved in NBA history, thanks to some fantastic players who have emerged out of their program. The greatest player to don a Jayhawks jersey is Wilt Chamberlain. During his two seasons with Kansas, Chamberlain averaged an unbelievable 30 points and 18 rebounds per game.

Paul Pierce and JoJo White, two Celtics legends, are also Kansas alumni. Joel Embiid, Andrew Wiggins, and Devontae Graham are some Jayhawks currently playing in the NBA.

Mascot and Uniform

The mascot of the Kansas Jayhawks is called Big Jay, who is a mythical bird. He was first introduced in 1953 and is among the most well-known mascot in US sports. He has also made a cameo appearance in the movie Necessary Roughness.

Two decades later, in 1971, Big Jay got a companion. Baby Jay was unveiled via an egg hatching during half-time of the Homecoming football game. Since then, they have been best friends and have been part of every Kansas game.

The team colors of the Jayhawks are KU blue, crimson, Jayhawk Yellow, and Signature Grey.

Current Roster

The Jayhawks roster for the 2020-21 season has 14 players.

Schedule

The Jayhawks season opener for the 2020-21 season is against Gonzaga on November 28. Their 27-game regular season will end on February 27, when they play their rivals, Baylor, in a home game at the Allen Fieldhouse arena.

The full schedule is available on the college website.