Bill Self Sounds the Alarm on Kansas Jayhawks Free-Throw Shooting

Kansas may have opened its season with a 30-point victory over Fordham, but Bill Self still has a major concern with his team. After struggling at the free-throw line against both Duke and Fordham, Self made it clear that the Jayhawks must become more consistent if they want to compete for a championship.

Kansas men's basketball started its 2026-27 regular season with an impressive 95-65 victory over Fordham, but head coach Bill Self knows there are areas that need improvement. One of the biggest concerns following the season opener is the Jayhawks' inability to consistently convert free throws.

During his postgame press conference on Nov. 2, Self addressed Kansas' struggles at the charity stripe and explained why the issue needs to be corrected before the team faces tougher competition.

"We've shot them like crap so far," Self said.

The comments came after Kansas struggled to make free throws against both Louisville and Duke during the exhibition schedule before carrying those issues into its matchup with Fordham.

Against Fordham, Kansas officially finished 16-for-30 at the free-throw line, shooting just 53.3%. However, Self pointed out that even after removing the five missed attempts from Will Thengvall and Paul Mbiya, Kansas was still only 16-for-25, good for 64%.

Self was particularly concerned about the players receiving the majority of the minutes. Those players combined to shoot just 9-for-21 from the free-throw line, making consistency an even bigger priority moving forward.

The problem was also noticeable during Kansas' exhibition loss to Duke. The Jayhawks finished 18-for-27, while Duke converted 27 of its 33 attempts.

"You can't get outscored nine points at home from the free-throw line," Self said when discussing the Duke matchup.

That difference is something Self believes Kansas cannot afford, especially when playing against some of the nation's top programs. Even when the offense is producing points from the field, missed free throws can prevent the Jayhawks from creating separation or putting games away.

According to the official Kansas-Fordham box score, Kansas had plenty of offensive success, shooting 58.3% from the field while collecting 50 rebounds. However, the free-throw percentage remained an area that stood out negatively.

The Jayhawks have several experienced players capable of taking on bigger offensive responsibilities, including Tre White, Melvin Council Jr. and Trey Kaufman-Renn. Improving their consistency at the line will be important as Kansas continues developing its offensive identity.

Self understands that early-season mistakes happen, but free-throw shooting is something that needs attention immediately. Kansas will face stronger competition throughout the season, and those missed opportunities could become much more costly in close games.

The Jayhawks have the talent to compete with anyone in the country, but they cannot afford to consistently leave points at the free-throw line.

Kansas will have an opportunity to work on that area when it hosts Middle Tennessee on Friday. For Self, improving at the charity stripe will be one of the biggest priorities moving forward.  everything Self said following the Fordham victory and the Kansas-Fordham game recap.

 Jayhawks Roundtable.