Kansas basketball: Redshirt freshman Kyle Cuffe Jr. goes portaling

Half of the scholarship players from the 2022-23 Kansas basketball roster have entered the transfer portal after Kyle Cuffe announced he would head elsewhere.

Kyle Cuffe had an unfortunate tenure with the Kansas Jayhawks. He redshirted in 2021-22 to build his game, then tore his MCL and PCL two games into the next season.

He announced yesterday that he would enter the transfer portal, per Michael Swain on Twitter. The son of former St. John’s basketball player appeared in just six minutes of Kansas basketball.

Originally recruited by Kansas in 2021, Cuffe was the No. 117-ranked player in the 247sports class. He led his high school, Blair Academy, to a 24-3 record as a senior while averaging 16.0 points.

Unlike many other Jayhawk guards in the past, Cuffe is a pure slasher with a knack for getting to the rim. Unfortunately, fans will not be able to see what he was capable of at his peak.

Kyle Cuffe still has a bright future in college basketball.

Cuffe figures to transfer to a mid-major school where he will see minutes as a starter. He loved playing at Kansas, so the primary reason for his transfer was likely his lack of playing time. There also might have been a nudge from the staff so that KU could open a scholarship.

The move could have been seen coming from a mile away after KU picked up recruitments from two guards in the portal, Arterio Morris and Nick Timberlake. Ultimately, it boiled down to whether Cuffe could ever contribute as a member of the Jayhawks. It is a favorable departure for both sides, as Cuffe will have four years of eligibility remaining with his new school while Kansas will have room to bring in new players.

He always had a smile on his face and stayed upbeat about his situation. We wish Kyle the best of luck wherever his future endeavors lead him.