4 Way-Too-Early Bets to Win the 2019 NCAA Tournament

Kansas Jayhawks

Vegas Odds: 8/1

One of the biggest issues that the Kansas Jayhawks experienced this season was their lack of depth. Outside of their starting five, no one on the team contributed more than 5.0 points a game, and only Marcus Garrett and Mitch Lightfoot played double-digit minutes.

A big reason for this was that coach Bill Self had to allocate 3 of his allotted 13 scholarships on transfers who were not eligible to play. Memphis transfers K.J. Lawson and Dedric Lawson, along with Cal State transfer Charlie Moore, will all be eligible to play next season after sitting out this year. We've seen Self have success with transfers in recent years, with Malik Newman being a great example of this.

Speaking of Newman, he emerged during the tournament, proving he could handle primary ball-handling responsibilities if he comes back next season -- something that's far from guaranteed. If Newman does return and Udoka Azubuike follows suit, this team will be a force to be reckoned with. And they can supplement all that with a top-10 recruiting class, giving them the makings of arguably the most talented team in the nation.

Oh, and remember Billy Preston, Kansas's best recruit from the 2017 class who was limited to three games? There's a small chance he comes back, as well. If Preston, Azubuike and Newman all return, the Jayhawks will surely be the preseason favorite to win it all.