Carlton Bragg to Kansas: KU's Projected 2015-16 Rotation After 5-Star Signing

Congratulations, Bill Self and the Kansas basketball program. You did the impossible—land a 5-star prospect over Kentucky.

On Thursday, Carlton Bragg elected to take his talents to Lawrence, meaning the Jayhawks beat out the Wildcats, Arizona and Connecticut, among other interested suitors. This was a critical signing for more than just the fact that Bragg is a 5-star prospect, per 247Sports' composite rankings.

Bragg is Kansas' first commit in the 2015 recruiting cycle after it landed a loaded class of four in 2014.

So what will the Jayhawks' rotation look like after Bragg gets to campus? Here is an early guess for the 2015-16 lineup, but keep in mind I am projecting freshman Kelly Oubre to turn pro after this season as a potential top-10 pick.

Guard: Frank Mason III

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It would be unfair to Frank Mason III to call his early success in 2014-15 a surprise, but he was overshadowed last year by the arrival of Andrew Wiggins and at the start of this season by the much-hyped 2014 freshmen class.

All Mason has done is provide a steadying hand in the backcourt as the Jayhawks' leader in minutes played per game and their second-leading scorer. He is also leading the team in assists per game and is more than willing to set up his teammates for easy looks instead of taking the shot on his own.

Mason will be a junior next season and seen as an upperclassman leader on a relatively young squad. He is certainly not going to lose his spot in the starting lineup, especially since his fellow backcourt mate Oubre will turn pro after the season.

Guard: Wayne Selden Jr.

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Wayne Selden Jr. arrived on campus last season as something of a silver-medal recruit behind Wiggins, but he has proven his value in the early going this season.

He is one of the most dangerous perimeter shooters on the team and helps with floor spacing when the bigs are banging around down low. Granted, there are still areas for improvement in Selden’s game, such as the 35.2 percent shooting clip from the field or the 1.8 turnovers per game, but he should develop into a better player by 2015-16.

He is picking up critical experience as a sophomore this season (second on the team behind Mason in minutes per game) and will parlay that into more of a leadership role in his junior campaign. He is also a formidable perimeter defender.

Perhaps he will finally tap into all of his offensive potential as an upperclassman.

Forward: Carlton Bragg

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I am inserting Bragg into the starting lineup here in what is admittedly a very tall group that should be able to have its way on the boards. The only issue will come when Kansas faces an athletic team that plays three guards at once, and then Self will have to adjust accordingly.

The thing about Bragg that makes this lineup work is his versatility and explosive athleticism.

Sure, he could play power forward and finish around the rim, but he is best suited in a more athletic hybrid-forward spot where he can get out in transition and impact the game with his quickness and length.

Bragg will also be a monster on the glass on both ends of the floor and can dart into passing lanes or swat shots on defense because of his 6’9” frame.

He won’t be able to consistently stretch the floor with a perimeter shot, but Kansas will have the advantage inside on almost any team it plays with this projected lineup.

Forward: Perry Ellis

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Assuming Perry Ellis returns for his senior season, this is the easiest call of the entire lineup.

He is the veteran leader on this year’s team as a junior, and that status will only be further entrenched when he enters his fourth and final year in the lineup.

Ellis leads this season’s squad in scoring and rebounding and has adapted his game to a variety of teammates since arriving on campus.

Playing alongside an athletic specimen like Bragg shouldn’t be an issue for Ellis then.

As mentioned in the Bragg section, grouping the 6’8” Ellis, 6’9” Bragg and 6’8” Cliff Alexander down low will be terrifying for opponents looking to get shots at the rim. Kansas experienced something like this first hand this season when it faced Kentucky and couldn't get an open shot for almost the entire game.

Don’t be surprised if Self took some lessons from that loss and will apply them to his team next season.

Center/Forward: Cliff Alexander

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Cliff Alexander was the big prize of the 2014 recruiting haul for Kansas, although he has come along somewhat slowly in the early going as a freshman.

He is playing fewer than 19 minutes a game this year and averaging eight points and 5.4 rebounds a night. While those are respectable numbers, they aren’t the eye-popping stats Kansas fans were hoping for right away from the big man.

However, he is still a freshman and flashed his potential with a double-double against Florida and 16 points against Tennessee (maybe he should play in the SEC). He will only get better as the season progresses, which means he will earn a spot in the starting lineup by 2015-16.

That is the reason I am projecting Alexander to return even though Draft Express has him as the No. 17 pick in its latest mock draft. If Alexander takes a jump from freshman to sophomore season, he could be seen as a potential top-five pick.

After all, a 5-star talent like Alexander who can bully his way to the basket and control the glass on both sides of the floor when he is playing well does not necessarily find himself out of the starting lineup two seasons in a row.

He will start to tap into his potential by the end of this year and play a bigger role as a sophomore.

Significant Bench Players

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Devonte Graham

Unfortunately for Kansas, Devonte Graham is recovering from a significant toe injury that could hamper his progress in his freshman season.

Graham will play a major role next year given his ball-handling abilities and smooth stroke from outside. The backcourt will be a fluid rotation, especially if Graham makes a leap from freshman to sophomore year.

Jamari Traylor

It is difficult to take Jamari Traylor's starting role he is enjoying now away from him next season, especially since he will be a senior, but there is simply too much talent to go around on this Jayhawks squad.

Traylor is still a solid scorer and rebounder down low and will split minutes as part of a loaded big-man rotation, but he won’t be a starter. Given his status as a senior leader next year, that probably won’t even be an issue. He will put the team first and play a major role off the bench.

Brannen Greene

Brannen Greene is playing more significant minutes in Graham’s absence, and that will help his development before his junior campaign in 2015-16.

He is a potentially lethal three-point shooter in the backcourt, which will be critical on next season’s team given the amount of big men in the rotation. Kansas will need someone to consistently space the floor with an outside shot, and that is exactly what Greene is capable of doing.

Sviatoslav Mykhailiuk

Sviatoslav Mykhailiuk is playing less than 16 minutes a game this season, but he flashed his potential in the victory over Michigan State with 11 points and three critical three-pointers.

If he can develop with more experience, he will give Kansas yet another shooting option on the perimeter off the bench.