Kansas basketball: Nicolas Timberlake is KU’s first transfer acquisition of the off-season

After losing five players to the transfer portal in this off-season, Kansas basketball made its first strike — and it is a significant one.

Kansas basketball has officially made its first transfer portal acquisition with the addition of Nick Timberlake. The Towson transfer will be off towards Lawrence, Kansas, as the Jayhawks look to advance further in the NCAA tournament than they did in the 2022-23 season.

Timberlake is a 6’4″ sharpshooter entering his sixth year as a college athlete. In his four years at Towson, he averaged 12.5 points, shot 79.2 percent from the free throw line, and 37.9 percent from the trifecta. Last season, Timberlake averaged a career-high 17.7 points per game. Timberlake is a pure shooter, which KU lacked last season. He is an excellent addition to a team that direly needed a three-point scorer.

KU beat out UConn and North Carolina in his recruitment, among other schools. The move might come as a surprise to some, as the Huskies were becoming the favorites for him. However, we know to never count out Bill Self’s abilities.

While Timberlake is known for his three-point shooting, he also attacks the basket very well. Overall, he will give the Jayhawks a massive edge on the offensive end at a consistent rate. Self knew what piece he was missing, and Timberlake is going to solve plenty of issues they had as of late. The only thing missing from this team is a wing and a true center.

A great Jayhawk comparison to Nick Timberlake would be Sviatoslav Mykhailiuk. Svi was an astounding shooter from anywhere on the floor, and that is precisely what Jayhawk fans should expect from Nick. He can potentially be one of the best shooters in the entire Big 12, and it will be interesting to see how his game changes while adjusting from mid-major to Power 5 basketball.

With Bill Self’s first acquisition transpiring today and Michigan transfer Hunter Dickinson visiting the university tomorrow, Kansas could be an absolute juggernaut during the 2023-24 NCAA basketball season. With Dajuan Harris and KJ Adams returning and the transfer portal additions coming, it will be difficult for opponents to compete for all forty minutes of the game against KU — especially when it is inside Allen Fieldhouse.

Bill Self has finally struck, and who knows what else he has up his sleeve. More moves could be coming soon.