Bill Self has officially signed his first transfer portal commit, and it should make Kansas fans very happy. Keanu Dawes was the first player to choose the Jayhawks this offseason out of the portal, and so far, he is only one of two to do so. Self also added guard Leroy Blyden Jr. out of Toledo, but it will take time to have him officially sign with Kansas.
Dawes is a familiar face for Self and Kansas, coming from Utah and having played against the Jayhawks the past two seasons. He has been a dynamic scorer for the Utes the last two years, and now Self sees a bright future for him in a Jayhawks uniform.
"At 6-foot-9, he is extremely athletic, and his skill set is improving," Self said. "He's a four-man that can stretch the defense. We are very excited about his versatility. We think he can guard one through five and see him as being an immediate impact player for us."
Utah transfer Keanu Dawes has officially signed with Kansas.
— Michael Swain (@MSwain247) April 21, 2026
Self: "I've had the chance to coach against Keanu the last two years and he is a very versatile perimeter forward. At 6-foot-9, he is extremely athletic and his skill set is improving. He's a four-man that can stretch…
Keanu Dawes came to Kansas at the perfect time
After the mass exodus in the transfer portal for Kansas, Bill Self has a lot of holes to fill on the roster, but most of all, he needed an experienced big man. After losing Flory Bidunga and Bryson Tiller, Self needed a big presence in the paint, and Dawes can deliver just that for the Jayhawks.
In two seasons at Utah, Dawes had his best season in 2025-2026, averaging 12.5 points per game, 8.8 rebounds, and 2.2 assists. Now, Dawes will need a little more work on his rim protection, averaging just 0.4 blocks per game, but that is something Self has always been good at working with his big men on.
If the Paul Mbiya drama finally settles and the young 7-footer decides to return to Kansas as well, Dawes and Mbiya could be an unstoppable force in the paint. Dawes brings a lot of potential to Lawrence, and Self is always great at developing talent, but he also needs to get some players to work around him as well.
Add us as a preferred source on Google