Kansas may have found a shooter in Luke Barnett, but the freshman’s route to minutes will come down to more than just a hot hand.
That’s the reality at Kansas, where pure shooting always matters and roster competition is no joke. Barnett gives the Jayhawks something they can use: a perimeter threat who can stretch a defense. But breaking into the rotation won’t be easy with the mix of transfers and freshmen already in the program.
Barnett is expected to be in the mix for the kind of minutes that go to the best floor spacers on the roster, and he may wind up battling returning Jayhawk Kohl Rosario for that role. Rosario entered last season with the shooter tag as well, but his three-point shot never really settled in for long stretches.
On Hawk Talk last week, assistant coach Jeremy Case singled out Barnett’s shooting ability and said he can score from the perimeter. Jayhawk Slant posted the comments on X.
Coach Case said Davion Adkins will rotate between the 4 and 5. Said he's a better shooter than the staff thought and is very athletic.
Also said that Luke Barnett is a great shooter. Can really score from behind the arc.
He also mentioned that Trent Perry is a glue guy, and they…
Barnett’s case is simple: shooters who make shots usually find their way onto the floor. But at Kansas, and especially with Bill Self coaching, the offensive value has to be paired with work on the other end.
That’s where Rosario’s path last season becomes a useful comparison. He opened the year as the team’s designated shooter, yet he struggled to find comfort, and his defense did him no favors either.
His minutes slipped as the season went on. Still, Rosario fought his way back late by leaning on his athleticism and effort, and he even finished the year well from three.
Barnett could follow a similar arc. In a scouting report for 237Sports last summer, Adam Finkelstein described him as a specialist with real shooting traits, but also one who needs growth defensively.
"Barnett is a shooting specialist. He has deep range and a quick, compact release that he hops into...
He has extreme gravity as a floor-spacer and understands how to leverage it by utilizing the deep corner, instinctively finding open space around the arc, and just generally understanding spacing and offensive structure... While he’s not a true creator or dynamic handler, he’s economical with each bounce and a willing ball-mover who can keep the dominos falling with relatively quick decisions...
Defensively, he can be flat-footed guarding the ball and struggle to get around screens at times, but he closes out hard, is disciplined contesting shots, and covers ground pretty well when he’s forced to scramble. He’s never going to be the most gifted defender, and undoubtedly has to improve, but the overlap of his motor and IQ should prevent him from being too much of a liability."
That profile fits a Kansas staff that wants the ball moving and the spacing clean. Self will value the fact that Barnett can open the floor and keep possessions flowing instead of stopping them cold. If the shot is quick and efficient, he can help on offense right away.
Still, the defensive questions are real, and the report makes clear that there’s work to do. If Barnett takes steps forward there, he could carve out a spot deeper in the rotation.
For now, though, it would be a surprise if he plays a major role this season. The shooting is the calling card, but minutes at guard and small forward are going to be hard to find. Even so, Barnett looks like the kind of player who can grow into a larger job as his game develops.
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