Kansas basketball is in the running for two top basketball recruits for 2027

Two top 35 recruits in the 2027 class announced their final eight schools on Wednesday, and Kansas basketball was on both lists. Malachi Jordan and Antonio Pemberton are still considering Kansas as the summer winds down.

According to 247Sports, Pemberton is ranked 33rd in the class and the eighth-best point guard. Malacho Jordan is ranked 17th by the same service and the fifth-best small forward prospect. Kansas already has a commitment from the 15th-ranked player in the class, small forward Javon Bardwell. There's been some talk of Bardwell reclassifying into the 2026 class, but nothing has been announced on that front, and it is getting late in the summer.

It's unclear as to how many spots head coach Bill Self has left to work with. The current roster is young. This will be the fourth season for Keanu Dawes, but with the new five-in-five rule, he will have a fifth season of eligibility. Ditto for Dennis Parker Jr. 2026 will be the fifth season for Christian Reeves.

Everyone else on the roster save for former walk-on junior Will Thengvall is a freshman or sophomore. It seems likely that freshman Tyran Stokes is a one-and-done player, and it is possible that Dawes and freshman Taylen Kinney could still go pro after this season. As of now, the Jayhawks don't appear to have many open spots for next season.

Of course, this is the NIL ERA. Rosters are decimated every year now across the sport as players look for more minutes and more money. It would be nice to look at this roster and say that there are only two, maybe three scholarships available. Then again, a year ago, no one suspected Flory Bidunga and Byson Tiller would leave Kansas.

What would Malachi Jordan and Antonio Pemberton bring to Kansas basketball?

247Sports' director of scouting, Adam Finkelstein, emphasizes that Pemberton is more of a scoring point guard than a facilitator, but that he is tough mentally and isn't scared of taking the big shot.

"Pemberton is a tough-shot taker and maker. He loves his pull-up game, both from the mid-range and three, has good lift into his release, the type of natural fade that requires very little separation, and yet still soft touch on the rim... He’s also tight with his handle, capable of stringing together multiple moves to shake his defender, and very proficient at changing speeds with hang dribbles."

Finkelstein also notes that Pemberton does have plenty of room to evolve on offense and has active feet and hands on defense, and that he's competitive. Those are things that will play well with Bill Self.

ESPN and On3 both like Jordan more than 247Sports does. On3 has him ranked 14th, while ESPN has him 5th. None of the services have a scouting report on him yet, but if he's ranked this high, there are reasons that Kansas is recruiting him.

What is interesting is that Pemberton plays the same position as freshman Taylen Kinney and sophomore Leroy Blyden Jr. It is possible that Kinney could be good enough to consider the NBA after one season, but he isn't the biggest guard. Bylden is even smaller. If KU is recruiting someone like Penberton, they may see Kinney as a one-and-done too. If Pemberton would choose Kansas and the other two stayed, the Jayhawks could have an incredible backcourt in 2027.

Trent Perry is the only other small forward on the roster apart from Stokes. Kohl Rosario and Luke Barnett could both probably play that position in Self's system. A path for significant playing time is more clear for Jordan than it is for Pemberton at this moment. All can happen in the next nine months.

Kansas basketball is setting its sights high when targeting players. Self is looking for a certain type of player, and Jordan and Pemberton must meet the coach's high standards.

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