Kansas Basketball: Complete Roster, Season Preview for 2014-15 Jayhawks

Following a season full of excitement caused by freshmen Andrew Wiggins and Joel Embiid, the Kansas Jayhawks are expecting to see this year's crop of newcomers make an instant impact as well.

The trio of Cliff Alexander, Kelly Oubre and Devonte' Graham will team up with a few experienced veterans in Perry Ellis, Frank Mason and Wayne Selden to give Bill Self a good mix of players. 

As always, the Jayhawks will be the target of everyone in the Big 12, but they still remain the favorite to take the regular-season crown, at least for now. 

Continue reading on for a look at how the new season will treat Self and the Jayhawks. 

Key Newcomers

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Cliff Alexander, Forward

The Chicago product was the 2014 Naismith Boys High School Player of the Year. He is seen as one of the top impact freshmen in the nation this season. Alexander will be a contender for a spot in the starting lineup at the start of the season, and he could be a strong contributor as the season progresses. 

If he lives up to his potential, Alexander will be one of the top freshmen in the nation. Expect him to be a crucial piece to the puzzle whether he comes off the bench or starts. 

Devonte' Graham, Guard

Graham was a star in his senior season at Brewster Academy with 17.2 points and 5.0 assists per game. He will assume a bigger role than expected this season now that Conner Frankamp has opted to transfer. 

He could easily start at the point for the Jayhawks, which is something a few fans may be concerned about due to his inexperience. But he should be able to handle the load. 

Kelly Oubre, Guard

The 6'7" guard is another one of the talented freshmen who will impact the Jayhawks greatly this season. He does have some experience playing with Alexander in all-star games, which could help their production off the bench throughout the season. 

Key Returners

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Perry Ellis, Forward

Ellis did not receive as much credit down low last season because of Embiid, but he has the potential to be of the best paint players in the nation. 

The junior forward is the top returning scorer and rebounder from last season's talented squad. He will be relied on to step into a leadership role on a team with plenty of young players. 

Wayne Selden, Guard

Selden averaged 29.2 minutes per game in his freshman season, which is the most of any returner. He was close to double digits in points per game at 9.7. He was also a major distributor of the ball with 2.5 assists per game. 

Despite his strong numbers, Selden does have room to improve on his 62.9 free-throw percentage and 43.7 field-goal percentage from a year ago.

Jamari Traylor, Forward

With Embiid and Tarik Black now gone, Traylor will be expected to fill the void in the frontcourt alongside Ellis. 

A year ago, Traylor was a minor contributor with 4.8 points and 4.1 rebounds per game. Those numbers are expected to rise with his expanded role. 

Roster and Projected Rotation

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The Kansas roster contains a mix of youth and experience, but the older players should be handed starting roles to begin the season. 

Starting Lineup

PG: Devonte' Graham

SG: Frank Mason

G: Wayne Selden

PF: Jamari Traylor

C: Perry Ellis 

Key Bench Players

Cliff Alexander, Forward

Landen Lucas, Forward

Brannen Greene, Guard

Expect Self to employ three guards in plenty of situations this season since he has plenty of talent at that position. Starting Graham and Mason together provides a matchup problem for any opponent.

Greene will be one of the first options off the bench to relieve the duo, while Oubre and Sviatoslav Mykhailiuk will get some time as well. 

Down low, the responsibility will be placed on the shoulders of Ellis and Traylor, while Alexander and Landen Lucas will come off the bench. 

Biggest X-Factors

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Ellis' Experience 

Experience is invaluable at the collegiate level, and Ellis has a ton of it. The Jayhawks will turn to him on both ends in close games to provide a major momentum boost. 

Against ranked opposition last season, Ellis scored in double digits on six occasions, including his 30-point performance against Iowa State in the Big 12 tournament. 

Three-Point Shooting

Shooting from beyond the arc was not a strength of Selden and Mason last season, as both players shot under 33 percent from three-point range. Even superstar Andrew Wiggins struggled a bit at 34.1 percent from that part of the court. 

For the Jayhawks to be a well-rounded team, the two guards need to improve their numbers a bit. The shooting off the bench from Mykhailiuk should also help those numbers. 

Impact of the Freshmen

The pressure may not be on Alexander, Oubre and Graham to start the season, but if they fail to become critical players in the lineup, it will grow. 

The young Jayhawks will receive two early tests in the form of Kentucky and Florida in nonconference play. All three should use those games as a litmus test for how their respective games translate to the college level. 

Best- and Worst-Case Scenarios

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Best-Case Scenario: 

The Jayhawks stun the star-studded Kentucky Wildcats in the second game of the season and then go on to beat Florida a few weeks later. 

Those two wins would hand Kansas a ton of confidence early in the season, which it can carry into the Big 12. That confidence will be needed with early trips to Ames and Austin in January. 

If Kansas can win three of those four games mentioned above, as well as beat Utah and Oklahoma at home, it will be in great shape.

Worst-Case Scenario: 

The freshmen fail to get adjusted to life on the college court, and the Jayhawks are left with a thin bench. 

If that does occur, they have no way of beating either SEC opponent in nonconference play, and a loss to Utah might pop up out of nowhere. 

Self should find a way to right the ship, but if he doesn't, the Jayhawks could lose their Big 12 regular-season throne. 

2014-15 Prediction

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Prediction: 26-5 (15-3 Big 12)

Beating Kentucky will be a tough task, but even if the Jayhawks suffer a loss to the Wildcats, they have a favorable nonconference schedule. 

Florida should be beaten at home, while Utah will give them a challenge before fading away at Allen Fieldhouse. 

The Big 12 is going to be tougher than last season with Texas and Oklahoma expected to join Iowa State as Kansas' top threats. 

Going 18-0 in conference play is unrealistic, which is why we are calling for a loss or two on the road for the Jayhawks. There is always going to be a slip-up game at home, so that is mixed into the projected record as well. 

Follow Joe on Twitter @JTansey90. 

All statistics obtained from ESPN.com and kuathletics.com.