This Bill Self led Kansas basketball team isn't quite what we normally see from him. Though it's not the McDonalds All-Americans that are missing, it's a guard who can create for himself. Self's offense relies on great guard play. Many of us don't really think Tyshawn is a great guard but for as many mistakes as he has made he has made great plays. Yet Tyshawn, shouldn't have to be the guard that creates for himself. The guard that needs to create for himself is Elijah Johnson. The junior guard hasn't had this kind of role in his career at KU, yet many fans, coaches, and media expect him to jump right in to the role of a great guard. EJ isn't playing bad, he is playing quite fine, but what he needs to do is drive. Rarely has Bill Self not had a guard that can create and drive well, Sherron Collins, Deron Williams, Dee Williams, Mario Chalmers, to name a few. This year so far he doesn't have that guy. Tyshawn has tried but that is just not his style or role for this team. That role is EJ's. EJ can jump out of the gym and has extremely long arms. Johnson might be the most athletic guard in the country. He has a lot of the physical attributes of former Memphis stand out and current Kings guard Tyreeke Evans. Against Georgetown Johnson took over PG, actually waving Tyshawn off, and was able to create a shot for himself which helped propel this team to a win. EJ hasn't done that lately. EJ has been lost out in 3pt land, making a few but not many and averaging somewhere between 6-12 ppg. That isn't what Self had in mind. Self even thought that Johnson would "blow up" this season. So far there has been no "blow up" from Johnson. Now don't get me wrong Johnson can shoot the 3, but to help his team out more he needs to drive. Whether or not Johnson can score when he drives is beside the point. If EJ is driving a big man has to rotate which means that either Trob, or Whitey, or whoever else is in should be open. Creating shots for himself, and others, should help this sometimes offensively inept team score. Though if there is a player on KU who has the ability, potential, and opportunity it would be Johnson. So Johnson might just "blow up", right when his team needs him too.

by Blake McFarland