Head coach Bill Self assembled one of the most loaded Kansas basketball rosters in recent memory this past offseason. He added five transfers and two freshmen to the new-look Jayhawks, even bringing back three starters from last year’s squad.
While KU has plenty of depth pieces — some of whom have yet to get it going in a crimson and blue jersey — it was revealed that another player would join the team midseason. Top-30 recruit and Kansas commit Bryson Tiller will join the Jayhawks next month as a redshirt freshman, and Self explained why they decided to bring him on board earlier than expected.
Bryson Tiller will gain invaluable experience spending additional time at Kansas
During a Thursday press conference, Self outlined why the Overtime Elite product may benefit from spending additional time with the team before he truly begins his college career in the 2025-26 campaign.
“Playing against Hunter (Dickinson) and KJ (Adams) and Flory (Bidunga) every day will also be good for him,” Self said, via kusports.com. “I think there’s a lot of things that go into it. Probably getting a comfort level with me. Maybe seeing the value of what it’s like for when we go on the road — because he’ll travel with us when we go on the road — and how other people react to the Kansas jersey, things like that.”
While he will redshirt and maintain a year of eligibility, Tiller will travel with the team for road games and participate in practice. Junior forward Zach Clemence was in a similar position last year, as he used a redshirt year despite partaking in team activities. He knows first-hand that Tiller's experience could be a positive one.
“I think it’s going to be a great look,” Clemence said. “Just someone new coming in, giving us a new look... He could make us better each and every day, so that’s great.”
Tiller will join a frontcourt next season that will feature players such as Flory Bidunga, Clemence, and likely a few transfers. But for now, he will watch and learn from his teammates, especially All-American big man Hunter Dickinson.