A new era of Kansas basketball will begin during the 2025-26 season Bill Self and company. Stars Hunter Dickinson, Zeke Mayo, KJ Adams Jr. and Dajuan Harris Jr. have exhausted their eligibility. Although Mayo entered the transfer portal this week with the hopes of gaining an extra year of eligibility to play next season, it appears unlikely anything will materialize.
For the third consecutive season, Kansas failed to make it out of the first weekend of the NCAA Tournament. The Jayhawks saw their season come to an end with a loss to Arkansas in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. Since winning the national title in 2022, Kansas has won just two NCAA Tournament games.
There is reason to be optimistic in Lawrence, Kansas, that better days are on the horizon. The main one is the arrival of star guard Darryn Peterson, a potential candidate to go No. 1 overall in the 2026 NBA Draft. Peterson is the No. 1 ranked player in the 2025 recruiting cycle by 247Sports and is one of the most prestigious recruits in Kansas basketball history.
Kansas signee Darryn Peterson vaults AJ Dybantsa for No. 1 in 2025 class, joins KU club that includes Wiggins
Adam Finkelstein
After dominating the Big 12 for most of the 21st century, Houston has won back-to-back regular season conference titles. The Cougars reached the national title game and fell one game short of winning the program’s first championship. Texas Tech, another member of the conference, reached the Elite Eight.
The pressure is on Kansas to get back to making a deep run in the NCAA Tournament. CBS Sports is tracking the status of the Kansas roster and recruiting class in real-time. Here’s where every current Kansas player and commit currently stands.
Incoming transfers
Melvin Council Jr. (Transfer from St. Bonaventure)
GP: 34 | PPG: 14.6 | RPG: 5.4 | APG: 4.1
Council has started 61 games during the last two seasons at Wagner and St. Bonaventure. He averaged a career-high 4.1 assists in his first and only season with the Bonnies.
Tre White (Transfer from Illinois)
GP: 32 | PPG: 10.5 | RPG: 5.5 | APG: 0.8
White will be at his fourth school in four years this upcoming season. White had stops at USC, Louisville and Illinois before transferring to Kansas. White has started 86 games in his career.
Jayden Dawson (Transfer from Loyola Chicago)
GP: 32 | PPG: 13.9 | RPG: 3.1 | APG: 1.9
Dawson spent the last three years at Loyola Chicago before transferring to Kansas. Dawson had a breakout season and averaged a career-high 13.9 points.
Kansas players returning in 2025-26
Flory Bidunga | F/C | Fr.
GP: 34 | PPG: 5.9 | RPG: 5.4 | APG: 0.3
Bidunga decided to withdraw his name and return to Kansas after entering the transfer portal earlier this offseason. Bidunga, a former highly-touted prospect from the 2024 recruiting cycle, will have a strong chance to start on opening night.
Shakeel Moore | G | Sr.
GP: 20 | PPG: 3.6 | RPG: 1.7 | APG: 1.4
Moore also entered his name into the transfer portal before withdrawing hours later. Moore appeared in 20 games during his first season at Kansas. Moore had previous stops at NC State and Mississippi State.
Elmarko Jackson | G | Fr.
GP: N/A | PPG: N/A | RPG: N/A | APG: N/A
Jackson missed the entire 2024-25 season due to injury. He is expected to return for this upcoming season.
Bryson Tilller | F | Fr.
GP: N/A | PPG: N/A | RPG: N/A | APG: N/A
The former No. 42 ranked player in the 2025 recruiting cycle by 247Sports enrolled early at Kansas but did not appear in a game during the 2024-25 season. Tiller enrolled at Kansas this past December.
Kansas players not returning in 2025-26
Hunter Dickinson (Out of eligibility)
GP: 34 | PPG: 17.4 | RPG: 10.0 | APG: 2.1
Dickinson spent two years at Kansas after starting his career with Michigan. Dickinson was (at the time) one of the best players to hit the transfer portal in college basketball history. Dickinson averaged a double-double during his final college season with the Jayhawks.
Zeke Mayo (Out of eligibility)
GP: 34 | PPG: 14.6 | RPG: 4.8 | APG: 2.9
Mayo transferred to Kansas after playing last season at South Dakota State. Mayo is attempting to earn another season of eligibility by entering the transfer portal late in the cycle. He faces an uphill climb to become eligible for the 2025-26 season.
KJ Adams Jr. (Out of eligibility)
GP: 31 | PPG: 9.4 | RPG: 5.0 | APG: 2.5
Adams suffered an Achilles injury during Kansas’ loss to Arkansas in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. He spent all four of his seasons in college at Kansas. He won a national title during his freshman season in 2022.
Dajuan Harris Jr. (Out of eligibility)
GP: 33 | PPG: 9.2 | RPG: 3.0 | APG: 5.7
Harris made 144 career starts at Kansas in five seasons with the program. He helped the Jayhawks win a national title in 2022. Harris averaged a career-high 9.2 points per game this season.
AJ Storr (Transferred to Ole Miss)
GP: 34 | PPG: 6.1 | RPG: 1.7| APG: 0.7
After having a breakout campaign during the 2023-24 season at Wisconsin, Harris hit the transfer portal and transferred to Kansas. Storr averaged a career-low in points (6.1) in 15.7 minutes per game. Storr entered the transfer portal and committed to Ole Miss.
Rylan Griffen (In the transfer portal)
GP: 33 | PPG: 6.3 | RPG: 2.1 | APG: 1.4
Griffen played a key role on Alabama’s Final Four team last spring and transferred to Kansas shortly after. Griffen averaged just 6.3 points in his lone season with the Jayhawks and will be searching for a new home for the 2025-26 season.
David Coit Jr. (Transferred to Maryland)
GP: 34 | PPG: 5.1 | RPG: 1.5 | APG: 1.3
Coit started just three games for Kansas after transferring in from Northern Illinois. Coit averaged 20.8 points during the 2023-24 season and will play for Buzz Williams at Maryland next year.
Rakease Passmore (In the transfer portal)
GP: 23 | PPG: 0.7 | RPG: 0.6 | APG: 0.3
Passmore appeared in 23 games for Kansas and averaged 0.7 points. He entered the transfer portal shortly after the season ended.
Zach Clemence (Transferred to Texas A&M)
GP: 8 | PPG: 1.4 | RPG: 1.4 | APG: 0.4
After spending the first three years of his career at Kansas, Clemence entered the transfer portal. He committed to Texas A&M earlier this month.
Kansas’ incoming recruiting class
Kansas has the best high school player in the country coming to town next season. Peterson is in contention alongside Duke’s Cameron Boozer and BYU’s AJ Dybantsa to become the No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 NBA Draft. Peterson is also considered one of the best guard prospects in the modern recruiting era.
No. 1 Darryn Peterson
Peterson is special. There is a reason why he might end up becoming the No. 1 overall pick in next summer’s draft. Self told the media earlier this year that Peterson is “the best player we’ve recruited since we’ve been here.” Peterson should give the Jayhawks a boost on offense this upcoming season.
No. 73 Samis Calderon
Calderon, the No. 73 overall player in the 2025 recruiting cycle by 247Sports, committed to Kansas over Tennessee, Michigan, Auburn and Kentucky. He should give the Jayhawks depth at the forward position this upcoming season.
Read the full article here
