"The history of KU, it speaks for itself" — AJ Storr shares motivation behind his decision to join Bill Self's Kansas for 2024-25 season
Being one of the top players in the transfer portal in late March, AJ Storr decided to join the Kansas Jayhawks over programs like the Illinois Fighting Illini and Arkansas Razorbacks. The wing averaged 16.8 points and 3.9 rebounds last season while shooting 43.4% from the field, and he received an All-Big Ten second-team honor.
Storr brings ample experience as a junior-year guard. He has played different types of basketball and knows the pressure of the postseason. Moreover, despite his scoring ability, Storr wants to develop as a defensive player.
As AJ Storr aims to top that stint for Bill Self, he highlights winning as his ultimate motivation to join the Jayhawks:
“Really, just, the history of KU, it speaks for itself,” Storr said. “I think 6 national championships. Coach Self got two of them himself. Really, just the history of it speaks for itself,” he added.
Like the Wisconsin Badgers, Kansas could not mount a NCAA run last season. Nevertheless, the Jayhawks showed they have the recipe to take it all when they lifted the NCAA trophy in 2022.
Moreover, the Jayhawks have consistently shown they can win. They are second on the list of most NCAA wins in history and boast the third-best win ratio of 72% across 3,289 games.
What does AJ Storr bring to the table?
Last season, Storr's best stint came during the Big Ten tournament where he led the Wisconsin Badgers to the title game. He scored 30 points in the quarterfinals against the Northwestern Wildcats and shot over 60% from the field. He then had a 20-point outing in an overtime win against Purdue in the semifinals, followed by an aggressive 24 points in the title-game loss.
Kansas lacked reliable playmakers and shooters last season. With that, Storr can aid KU in streamlining their offense, albeit with the hopes of increasing his touch. Even though AJ Storr had a few efficiency issues, his ability to score a bucket in crunch time can prove instrumental for Self.
However, Storr has the necessary athleticism and lateral quickness to be a great defender. Even Greg Gard, Storr's coach with the Badgers, believes that the 6-foot-6 wing could effortlessly be a two-way player.
With that, one of the key areas Storr could show improvement, besides his field-goal percentage, could be rebounding.