Assessing Hunter Dickinson, Ian Jackson, and AJ Storr in the Kansas-North Carolina Game

November 9th, 2024

Yesterday, there was a highly competitive, early season non-conference college basketball game that took place between Kansas and North Carolina, as it featured some of the best players in college basketball in Hunter Dickinson and RJ Davis, as well as a couple of highly touted, first round prospects in Ian Jackson and Drake Powell, who were looking to rebound from a lackluster first game of the season. It was a high scoring affair in which Kansas dominated in the first half and would go on to get the win. North Carolina was able to rally back to get a brief lead in the second half, but Kansas was able to retake the lead and get a hard-earned victory. Here are my thoughts on how the top performers fared in this game.

Hunter Dickinson scored 20 points, and had 10 rebounds, 3 assists, and 1 block to lead Kansas to a 92-89 win over North Carolina. (Photo: Charlie Riedel/Associated Press, via The Morning Sun)

Kansas’ 7-2 senior center, Hunter Dickinson played well to help lead his team to a close win over North Carolina. He dominated as a low post scorer, especially in the second half, and he also passed the ball well. Dickinson showed a knack for scoring out of the post. He would often get deep position, and he would use subtle moves that would allow him to score on jump hooks and layups. He also was active at scoring on hustle plays, as he was able to score on a roll while getting fouled once, as well as on a tip-in another time. Plus, Dickinson was able to make a mid-range jumper to show some range. Every once in a while, he would miss make-able close range shots around the basket, but he did a great job of making shots on offense.

Also, Dickinson passed the ball well. He is an unselfish player that would throw accurate passes to find teammates on the move, and he is a good passer that can throw long passes and also passes well out of the post. He also did a great job of rebounding the basketball. In fact, Dickinson was the only player to get a double-digit number of rebounds in this game.

Defensively, he looked to be about average at best. For the positives, he was able to deflect a pass once, and he would contest threes late in this game to force some key misses. On the downside, he still would struggle to defend in space. He would often drop too far back into the paint, which would lead him to allow opponents to score on open three-pointers. Other times, he would be late on his rotations, which would lead his team to allow scores at the rim.

In general, Hunter Dickinson had a strong showing to help lead Kansas to get a close win over North Carolina. He provided a strong post presence, as he would consistently score and make good passes to provide his team a big boost on the offensive end. While there are still mobility and defensive concerns that he’ll face in the NBA, but he’s a very good player at the collegiate level, and Dickinson has the skills to be a solid role player in the NBA.

North Carolina’s 6-4 guard, Ian Jackson also played very well in his team’s tough loss to Kansas. He is an athletic, energetic playmaker that provided a strong boost off the bench, and he made a strong case to get more playing time in the future. Jackson shot the ball well, especially from the outside. He was able to make both of his threes, as he was able to do so both off the catch and dribble. He also showed that he can attack the basket to score off the dribble, and he was able to make a smooth pull-up jumper from the baseline. His smooth footwork and shooting skills could be really helpful for him as the season progresses.

He also showcased adequate playmaking skills. He threw a crisp, interior pass to a roll man to notch an assist, as he made a good pass to find him on the move. On the downside, he was called for a traveling violation when driving to the hoop once, but he would’ve missed a pull-up jumper if there was a no call and if the play had continued.

Also, Jackson was able to get his fair share of boards, as he was able to get a board on each end of the floor. He also played decent defense in this game. Jackson is an active defender that was able to poke a ball out of bounds to nearly get a steal. He also managed to block a shot off the dribble. On the downside, there was one play where he struggled to defend an opposing ball handler that led him to commit a foul that time.

Overall, Jackson had a strong showing, and he was very efficient in knocking down shots, and he also was able to provide a defensive impact in this game. It’ll be interesting to see how he fares this season, but things go as expected, he could end up being a first round pick in the 2025 draft.

AJ Storr and Ian Jackson were able to make their presence felt in this game, as both played well in Kansas’ 92-89 win over North Carolina. (Photo: Charlie Riedel/Associated Press, via WV News)

Kansas’ 6-7 junior swingman, AJ Storr had a decent showing to help his team get a decisive victory over North Carolina. He is a very athletic, energetic player that showed off versatile scoring skills, and was able to make some very solid plays on both ends of the floor.

Storr did a decent job of knocking down shots from the outside. He was able to make an open-spot up three. He also was able to make a smooth, pull-up jumper from the mid-range. He also excelled as a scorer on fast breaks. On one play, he ran the floor to get the ball, and he drove in to score on an athletic, two-handed jam. On the downside, he struggled to score consistently off the dribble, as he would tend to struggle to score in traffic.

Storr also passed and handled the ball well. He is an unselfish player that would make the extra pass to find the open man, and he would make patient drive and kick passes to get the ball to his teammates. Though he didn’t grab many rebounds in this game, he was able to get a pair of defensive boards. He also defended well. He was able to jump a pass to get a steal, and he also contested a three to force a miss.

Overall, AJ Storr played fairly well in his team’s win over North Carolina. He was able to make some highlight reel-worthy plays in this game, and he is an athletic swingman that could be a solid pick for an NBA team in the late first to the second round range of the 2025 draft.

Kansas’ 6-4 senior guard, Zeke Mayo had a strong showing to help lead his team to a close win over North Carolina. He did a great job of shooting and scoring the basketball, and he is a smooth scorer that would often score on floaters and pull-up jumpers from the outside. He showed a knack for making threes and mid-range jumpers, and he also has a crafty pump fake that he would use to draw defenders in the air to fake them out of position in order to score.

He also displayed adequate playmaking skills. He did a good job of passing the basketball. He was able to get the ball to a teammate on a give and go to get him a score on the break. Mayo also excelled at throwing entry passes. On one play though, he ran off the ball to get it in the corner, but he was called for stepping out of bounds.

Also, Mayo did a fairly solid job of rebounding the basketball. He also played adequate defense in this game. He was able to leap up to intercept a pass to get a steal. He also was able to contest a mid-range jumper to force a miss. However, sometimes he would struggle to defend opposing ball handlers, which would lead him to commit fouls and allow scores.

Overall, Zeke Mayo is an agile, skilled combo guard that excelled as a smooth shotmaker to help Kansas get the win. He’s been instrumental in helping them get wins so far, and his ability to make shots and make the right plays could enable him to be a serviceable role player at the NBA level.

North Carolina’s 6-9 senior forward, Jae’Lyn Withers also played well in his team’s loss to Kansas. He especially thrived as a sharpshooter and rebounder in this game. He showed a knack for making open, spot-up threes off the catch. He also was able to utilize a crafty pump fake and drive in to score in traffic. He also was able to throw a solid pass to a cutter once. On the downside, he was too passive on offense, as he would pass up open jump shot opportunities from the corner, even after he made three three-pointers late in the game, and he would end up hesitating too much and throwing inaccurate passes that would go astray.

He also rebounded the ball well. Withers also played decent defense. He was able to leap up to get his hands on a pass to get an acrobatic steal. On the downside, he was called for fouling an opponent in the backcourt once. Overall, Withers is a tall, mobile forward whose jump shooting skills could make him an intriguing prospect, as he could profile well into a 3 and D role in the NBA.

KJ Adams is a very athletic, energetic 6-7 forward that quietly played well to help lead Kansas to a decisive win over North Carolina. He got off to a strong start early on, as he would score on energetic finishes around the basket, and he also was able to show a solid mid-range shot.

He generally excels at scoring on hustle plays, and he seems to be growing more comfortable in knocking down mid-range jumpers. Adams also excelled as a scorer off of lobs, as he was able to score on an emphatic dunk on the break once. He also was able to score on a baseline drive once. On the downside, Adams was inconsistent as a shooter from the mid-range, as he especially struggled to make pull-up jumpers, but he seems to be at his best when he would look to score on catch-and-finish or catch-and-shoot plays.

Adams passed the ball well, as he would make the extra pass to find the open man. Though he didn’t grab many rebounds in this game, Adams was active at crashing the offensive glass to get offensive boards. He also defended very well. He would cut off penetration when defending opponents off the dribble to force misses and turnovers, and he would contest jump shots to force misses.

Overall, Adams is a very athletic, high-motor combo forward that excels at making energetic plays on both ends of the floor. He’ll need to add a reliable outside shot to his arsenal, but his athleticism, defense, and motor could allow him to be a serviceable role player at the NBA level.

Kansas’ 6-9 freshman big man, Flory Bidunga quietly played well to help lead his team to a win over North Carolina. He is a high-motor player that especially excelled at scoring on hustle plays on offense. He was able to score on put backs, rolls, and in transition. Bidunga was able to drive to the hoop in transition and utilize a Euro-step move to draw free throws. He also managed to catch a lob pass to score on a thunderous alley-oop dunk off of a roll to the rim. Plus, he also was able to score on a couple of strong put backs off offensive rebounds.

He also did a great job of rebounding the basketball. He also played decent defense in this game. Bidunga was able to rotate to block a shot off the dribble. However, there was one play when he was defending in the post where he got outmuscled and ended up committing a foul that time.

Overall, Bidunga had a good showing in his team’s win over North Carolina. While he may be undersized to play inside, he provided a strong interior presence to help his team, and he could project to be a solid, rotational big man in the NBA.

Kansas’ 6-6 junior swingman, Rylan Griffen also had a solid showing in his team’s win over North Carolina. Though he wasn’t a featured player on offense, he played well in his role as a 3 and D role player, especially in the first half. He excelled at knocking down open, spot-up threes off the catch. He also would swoop in to block shots off the dribble, as his athleticism, timing, and instincts would provide a boost to help his team defensively. He also is an unselfish player that would make the extra pass to find the open man. Overall, Griffin played well, and he could be a solid second round prospect for the 2025 draft. Though he didn’t put up gaudy numbers, he played an important role to help Kansas get the win, and his ability to make threes and defend could enable him to be a solid role player at the NBA level.

Dajuan Harris also played well to help lead Kansas to a win over North Carolina. In this game, he quietly played well on both ends of the floor. Harris did a decent job of scoring off the dribble. He overcame a slow start, and he was able to show a solid floater game down the stretch. He also is an energetic player that would score on hustle plays, and he was able to drive in to score on an impressive, high-flying, one-handed dunk on the break.

He also did a decent job of passing and handling the basketball. Harris was able to throw some nice passes to find teammates on the move to notch assists, due to possessing solid court vision. On the downside, he did throw some careless passes at times that ended up getting intercepted.

Also, Harris was active at crashing the offensive glass to help his team get some rebounds. He also defended very well. He was a pest defensively, as he would get his hands on passes to help make it difficult for his opponents to get their passes through, and he also poked a ball away to get a steal.

Overall, Dajuan Harris had a solid showing to get Kansas the win. Although he didn’t shoot a three-pointer in this game, he was effective at making plays on both sides of the ball to get his team the victory. He is a good player at the collegiate level. As for the NBA, his lack of size or elite scoring skills may be concerns, but his solid decision-making skills and defensive prowess, combined with having solid athletic gifts could enable him to be a solid, game-managing backup point guard at the NBA level.

Seth Trimble had a solid showing for North Carolina in his team’s tough loss to Kansas. He is a fleet-footed combo guard that excelled at driving to the hoop to score the basketball, and he also was able to score on a corner three, as well as on a cut. On the downside, he would sometimes over-dribble, which would lead to team turnovers.

Also, he was able to haul in his fair share of boards. He also seemed to play adequate defense. He contested a three to force a miss, but he also rotated to the post and committed a reach-in foul due to over-aggressiveness. Overall, Seth Trimble excelled as a shooter and scorer in this game. He’ll need to show that he can reliably run the point at higher levels, but his athleticism and scoring skills could enable him to make it to the NBA in the future.

6-10 junior big man, Jalen Washington had a decent showing in North Carolina’s tough loss to Kansas. He is an athletic, high-motor player that excelled at making hustle plays on both ends of the floor. He is a strong finisher that managed to catch a lob to score on a dunk off of a roll to the rim, and he also ran in to score on an athletic tip slam another time.

He also seemed to play adequate defense in this game. Washington was able to rotate to block a shot off the dribble to a teammate, and he would successfully contest shots to help his team protect the paint. On the downside, his lack of size or elite strength made it difficult for him to defend in the post in this game, and he had a tough time guarding Dickinson down low, as Washington would tend to commit fouls and allow scores.

Overall, Washington is an athletic, energetic big man that had a solid showing in this game. While he will need to expand his skill set offensively, his size, athleticism, and ability to make high-motor plays could enable him to compete for a backup center role in the NBA in the future.

North Carolina’s 6-8 junior forward, Ven-Allen Lubin quietly played well in his team’s loss to Kansas. He is an athletic, undersized big man that excelled at scoring around the basket and at making hustle plays. Lubin was able to utilize a crafty pump fake to score on a fadeaway jumper out of the post. He also would score on rolls to the rim. Plus, he also ran in to score on a strong tip slam. On one play though, he was called for setting a moving screen on offense.

Also, he was able to leap up to get his fair share of rebounds. He also played adequate defense in this game. He has the strength to hold ground when defending in the post, and he would contest shots inside to help force some misses. On the downside, his lack of size would make it tough for him to guard taller players in the post, which would lead him to allow scores.

Overall, Ven-Allen Lubin is an athletic, energetic undersized big man that can make plays to help his team in the paint. He’ll need to add a reliable outside shot and will need to improve his passing skills, but he could be a prospect to keep tabs on in the future.

RJ Davis was incredibly streaky in this game. He didn’t shoot well from the outside, but he showed a knack for drawing free throws when driving to the hoop. He also managed to score on a quick cut while getting fouled once. However, he tended to take tough shots that would lead to misses, and he couldn’t get into a rhythm on offense.

He also displayed adequate playmaking skills. Davis was able to make some solid drive and kick passes to get assists, and he was at his best when he would play poised and under control. On one play though, he threw a bad pass that got intercepted. On another, he didn’t get an inbounds pass on time, which led to a five-second, inbounding violation.

Though he didn’t grab many rebounds in this game, Davis was able to get a defensive board once. He also seemed to play adequate defense in this game. Davis was able to deflect a pass out of bounds once. He also contested a shot off the dribble to force a miss. Overall, Davis didn’t shoot particularly well, but he still was able to frequently get to the free throw line, as his ability to get to the hoop at the point of attack made him a credible scoring threat. Davis was able to make a corner three, but he didn’t shoot well overall. He’ll need to be a more consistent shooter in games, but his footspeed, jump shot, and scoring skills could enable him to make it to the NBA one day.

Elliot Cadeau had his ups and downs in his team’s loss to Kansas. He did a decent job of scoring off the dribble, and he was able to get some tough scores in traffic. On the downside, he didn’t shoot well from beyond the arc, as he missed both of his threes, and he also had some tough misses when driving to the hoop.

He also showcased solid playmaking skills. He is an unselfish player that excelled at finding teammates on the move to notch assists. However, he threw an inaccurate pass that went out of bounds once, and he also threw a lazy pass that got intercepted another time.

Also, Cadeau was able to get a pair of defensive boards to chip in on the glass. He also was active defensively. On the downside, he struggled to defend opposing ball handlers as well as off screens, as he was prone to committing reach-in fouls. Another time, he went oto high when defending a screen, and his team ended up allowing a dunk to a roll man that time.

Overall, Cadeau didn’t have his best game, but he is an agile playmaker that passes the ball well. He’ll need to improve his outside shot, but his ability to make plays on both ends of the floor could enable him to project well into a backup point guard role in the NBA.

Drake Powell didn’t play much, and he didn’t have a big impact in this game. There were plenty of people were hyped up about Powell coming into the season, but honestly, I just didn’t get it. Sure, he’s athletic, can distribute the ball, and is a pesky defender, but he really needs to add a reliable jump shot to his arsenal, and he hasn’t shown that he can make outside shots consistently against high-level competition. He didn’t play well in this game, but hopefully Powell will turn things around in the future.

In this game, Powell missed both of his three-point attempts, despite being open to take corner threes. He was able to use a crossover move to score on a strong drive off the glass to showcase decent shot-creation skills.

Powell rebounded the ball well. He also defended well in the limited time he was on the floor, and he was able to contest a mid-range shot to force a miss. Plus, he also managed to block a put back of a taller player.

Overall, Powell didn’t have a great game, but maybe he showed glimpses of the type of player he could become in the future. Obviously, he’ll need to add a reliable jump shot to his arsenal, and he’ll need to really improve his three-point shot. That said, his defense could be his calling card in the NBA. Right now, it seems to be too early to write him off, but his draft stock is incredibly inflated, and he looks to be wildly overrated as a draft prospect so far. Still, it’s very early in the college season, so it’s too early to tell to be sure. That said, right now, Powell is entirely underserving of first round consideration for the 2025 draft, and he needs to play much better moving forward. But if he proves himself over time, maybe he could prove himself to be worthy of first round consideration for the 2025 draft, and maybe he could turn out to be a significantly better NBA pro than college player, especially as the NBA game is played at a much faster pace, so he could get more opportunities to play and operate in the open court at that level.

All in all, those are my thoughts on how Hunter Dickinson, Ian Jackson, AJ Storr, and others fared in this game. Kansas had a solid game overall, and they look to be a formidable team in college basketball, and it’ll be interesting to see how they will stack up against other teams such as Duke as the season progresses. Thanks for reading.