LAWRENCE – AJ Storr wants to win.
That’s one of the reasons he decided not to stay in the 2024 NBA draft process, because during it he was told how much the NBA loves getting players. While he expressed appreciation for his time at Wisconsin last season and commented that the year went well, he was also frustrated to see the season end in the round of 16 of the NCAA tournament. When evaluating where he wanted to continue his college basketball career, Kansas seemed to him like a place where he could be successful.
So when discussing his arrival on campus earlier this month, it’s no surprise what an achievement he highlighted the Jayhawks have enjoyed time and time again. He knows KU didn’t advance that far in the NCAA Tournament last season either. Next season is all about winning another national championship, as Kansas did again in 2022.
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“Indeed, KU’s history speaks for itself,” Storr said. “I think six national championships? Coach (Bill) Self got two of them. In fact, only the story speaks for itself.”
Storr continues to learn about the history of basketball in Kansas. He continues to feel more comfortable on a new campus. But he’s still enjoying being in Lawrence, and that should all happen over time.
Storr, a junior guard, sees himself as someone who brings experience both as someone who played in the postseason and as someone who is familiar with the different styles of play at that level. He is known for his scoring ability, as someone who led Wisconsin in scoring last season, but noted he wants to bring the defense as well. He is willing to be coached and understands that Self is the type of coach who will challenge him and motivate him to be the best version of himself.
Self himself said that Storr, without a doubt, must be one of the best players and highlighted Storr’s scoring ability. But speaking of defense and also rebounding, Self is looking for more. Self wants to see Storr get to a place where he defends and rebounds in addition to scoring.
“I really think he has a chance to be as good an athlete/player as we have been in a while,” Self said. “But I don’t think he plays every area of the game as well as he does when the ball is in his hands.”
Another thing that has a chance to help Storr, who spent his freshman year at St. John’s, is that he knows what it’s like to play against Kansas. Last summer, when the Jayhawks traveled to Puerto Rico to play some exhibition games, Storr competed in a few games. He was with the Bahamas national team and, according to a KU release, averaged 15 points and five rebounds in the two games.
How much something like this will help Storr, who was an all-league honoree in both of his previous starts, will be determined over time. Storr will also work this off-season on ball handling, shooting consistency, conditioning and flexibility. But it’s an experience he hasn’t forgotten.
“It was really crazy,” Storr said. “It’s really crazy to think about it. But, yeah, it’s crazy.”
Jordan Guskey covers University of Kansas Athletics for The Topeka Capital-Journal. He is the National Sports Media Association Sportswriter of the Year for the state of Kansas in 2022. Contact him at jmguskey@gannett.com or on Twitter at @JordanGuskey.
This article originally appeared in the Topeka Capital-Journal: Inside Kansas basketball coach Bill Self’s hopes for AJ Storr
