While everyone should be excited about the first look at the 2026-27 Kansas basketball team when it hosts Pittsburg State on Friday as part of Late Night at the Phog, be wary of drawing too many conclusions about the team. The opponent won't be terrific, the players will have first-game nerves, and for many, it will be the first time playing in front of such a large, energized crowd.
Still, it is always intriguing to see a new team filled with fresh players. This year, there are 11 new Jayhawks to get to know. Everyone is new to the program except Kohl Rosario, Paul Mbiya, Tre White, Melvin Council Jr., and Will Thengvall.
There are always things to look for when watching a new group of players. Just be careful not to put too much stock in specific performances. This will merely be a game for the players to experience the Phog and its crowd and to scrimmage against someone apart from their teammates.
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4 things to watch for during the first Kansas basketball exhibition game against Pittsburg State
No. 1: How much will Tre White and Melvin Council Jr. play?
White and Council haven't had much time to get acclimated to their new teammates. Rosario mentioned that both came in willing to earn their places on the team and even worked with the scout team. Neither went through boot camp with the team, and they might not be in the condition head coach Bill Self requires. While it shouldn't take long for them to get where Self wants them, they might be there yet.
Self might sit them for this one, but you never know. They might be fully integrated into the rotation. Regardless, it will be surprising if they start.
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No. 2: Tyran Stokes and Taylen Kinney
Everyone should be excited to finally get a firsthand peek at these two heralded freshmen. Stokes is the second straight top recruit for Self and Kansas, but Stokes and Darryn Patterson have thoroughly different games. While last year's star, when he played, was the epitome of a scorer. He wanted the ball in his hands at all times and wasn't as good at getting his teammates involved.
Stokes may not have the same ceiling as Peterson as a corer, but he might have a more well-rounded game. He's probably going to have a bit more dawg in him that Peterson, and everyone should be eager for their first glimpse of him. It will also be interested in how much he handles the ball. This team will have a number of players who can handle the ball and push it upcourt. Stokes will certainly be one of those, especially when he gets a defensive rebound.
Kinney is a duel threat point guard who might be better offensively than people are expecting. The two big questions might be if he can be as effective finishing at the rim as he was as a prep player and if he can improve his consistency from behind the three-point line. He's going to be a terrific player, but will that be immediately, or will he need some time to develop and settle into the college game? Look for him to be good fairly quickly.
No. 3: The three-headed monster
By adding Council, Self has created a bit of a dilemma for himself. How does he find enough minutes for Council, Kinney, and Leroy Blyden Jr.? These three are all duel-threat point guards, and all have talent. Look for two of them to be on the court at the same time fairly often, as all can probably play the off-ball as the shooting guard, though all are probably more comfortable with the ball in their hands.
Self also has to find minutes for Roario, Dennis Parker Jr., and Luke Bennett. That's a lot of players to find court time for. Self has his work cut out if he wants to please everyone, and the team concept might be more important with this team than any he's ever had.
Self wouldn't have brought back Council if he didn't think there was a place for him, and Self trusts him. Kinney and Blyden have to earn that same trust. Will they get enough opportunity to prove themselves? This game might not be indicative of the division of minutes because Council recently joined the team, so enjoy the time when Kinney and Blyden are playing.
No. 4: Center
Is Self going to start Keanu Dawes at center? Maybe not tonight, but who knows? Is Christian Reeves 100 percent healthy? How much has Paul Mbiya improved? Has he gotten better on the offensive end? How much will Davion Adkins contribute?
That's a lot of questions surrounding the candidates at center, and they might not all be answered against Pittsburg State. These are things to watch for, not only in this game but also during the upcoming exhibitions against stiffer competition against Louisville and Duke. How will Self handle the interior? He can go small, and he can go big. As the season progresses, the matchups might determine how he uses his frontline players.
There will be plenty of questions about how Self will use all of his players. These questions might not be answered against Pittsburg State, but maybe Self will tip his hand a bit.
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