Most impactful transfer in the Self era?

Self said regarding Zeke Mayo "...he's been probably the most impactful transfer that I've coached since I've been here."

Do you agree?
If not, who would you choose?

I respectfully disagree with Coach, and I'm loving Zeke and HCBS repping his current stud, but until Zeke helps carry KU to an NC it's got to be Remy Martin for me.

Zeke has definitely found his high gear, but it has taken him a while. After a huge jump start in the first two games against Howard and UNC he had 7 straight games where he scored 12 (not bad in itself) or fewer points. KU lost two of those 7 games, and in four of them he scored 7 points or less - 6 vMichigan St, 7 vOakland, 7 vFurman and 4 in the incomprehensible loss to Missouri ). Thankfully he seems to have hit his stride now.

AY2021-22 KU lost a grand total of 6 games, the first against Dayton in Orlando in November during the ESPN Events Invitational. That was KU's only loss with a healthy Remy. The other 5 losses came after Remy was injured on Nov 29 against Nevada and before he was fully healthy in time for the Big 12 Tournament.

I have no doubt that KU would not have finished AY2021-22 winning 9 straight games, to include a share of the Big 12 regular season title, the Big 12 Tournament title and the NC, without Remy being healthy for the end of the season and the postseason. The guy was MOP for the Midwest Regional, and second only to David McCormack in my voting for MOP for the Final Four. And he did it on both ends of the court, not just with his scoring. Case in point - yes, Big Dave scored the last 4 points to seal the title game win against the tarred ones, but how many people remember Remy being beaten on the drive by Caleb Love but recovering in time to block Love's lay up to preserve the lead and set the stage for Big Dave?

Be instrumental in helping KANSAS win it all again and I'll be happy to consider Zeke.

Until then, for me it's Remy Martin.

FILIPINO POWER!
ROCK CHALK ON!

More in support of Remy as the most impactful transfer in the Self era -

KUSports.com - Tait: ‘I’m just happy’ – Late emergence by senior guard Remy Martin has changed Kansas and turned around his season

EXCERPT
The big question throughout the several weeks that Kansas guard Remy Martin sat out with a bone bruise in his right knee was whether he had enough time to work back into the rotation without disrupting the Jayhawks’ rhythm.

In three games last weekend at the Big 12 tournament — all Kansas victories — Martin answered that question with a resounding yes.

But it wasn’t just his impact and production during 56 combined minutes at T-Mobile Center that mattered the most. It was how energized and optimistic his teammates were about him being back that stood out.

“His energy, his talking on the court, keeping guys composed throughout the game. I thought he did really good at that,” senior guard and tournament MVP Ochai Agbaji said after Saturday’s 74-65 win over Texas Tech. “Everything else besides scoring. I know everyone sees the scoring, but behind the scenes he was making sure guys were aligned and stuff. It was great to see that, and moving forward we’re going to need that from him.”

Perhaps this was what the Remy Martin Experience was going to look like all along. Forget about the preseason conference player of the year honor, the expected acclimation time or the adjustments required to play for a head coach as demanding as Bill Self.

Martin was always going to fit with the Jayhawks if he played like this.

In so many words, Self said as much following Saturday’s celebration of the 2022 Big 12 tourney title.

“From my perspective, the thing that you have to do when you play a team like Tech (is) you have to have a guy make a shot when you run bad offense,” Self said when asked about Martin’s 12-point, 26-minute effort. “He’s a guy that gives us an extra element that can kind of go get his own a little bit. That can allow you to have good possessions even though you really don’t run good stuff.”

By definition, a lot of that comes off script. And while that can be tough for the KU coaches — and even Martin’s teammates and fans — to watch at times, it seems to provide some serious juice when it goes well.

For his part, Martin has not wavered during his time at Kansas.

Through the good times and the bad, the former Arizona State standout has kept his focus on helping Kansas win however he can and through whatever means necessary. On the court. From the bench. In the locker room. Away from basketball altogether.

It was the work he put in in those settings, prior to last weekend, that led to the overflow of joy and emotion during the on-court celebration after last Saturday’s win over Texas Tech in the Big 12 title game. Whether through his youthful exuberance in congratulating Agbaji while he received his MVP trophy or while repeatedly slapping the cardboard logo that signified that Kansas officially had punched its ticket to the Big Dance, it was clear that Martin was having a blast.

He’s not exactly a rent-a-player because all signs point to him being a true part of this team and his teammates both liking and rooting for him. But he has never been the one to make it about him. In fact, on more than a few occasions, Martin has referenced wanting to do this or that for the guys, for the team or to help his teammates win. He said from the beginning that his No. 1 goal when he decided to come to Kansas was to win and compete for a national championship.

He said the same after Saturday’s win over Texas Tech, which, when graded on a scale, was easily his best and most important game as a Jayhawk.

“Ultimately, I just wanted to go out there and win,” he said after scoring 12 points on 4-of-9 shooting, with four rebounds, four assists and zero turnovers. “Like I’ve said all the time, if I get 5 minutes or 25 minutes, I just try my best to help this team win. It’s what I’ve wanted to do my whole life ever since I was a kid. Just being able to contribute in any type of way is awesome.”

It seems possible that his role could be growing right before our eyes.

And boy, did it!

THAT, my friends, is what you call an IMPACTFUL player!