After a slow start this offseason, head coach Bill Self has done a masterful job of filling out the Kansas basketball roster for next year. This weekend, the Jayhawks welcomed incoming freshman forward Atticus Richmond into the fold.
Richmond is from Illinois but attended a prep school in Massachusetts this past year, where he averaged 8.8 points per game and 5.3 rebounds. Those numbers do not indicate someone who will see many minutes this season but more of a developmental player, much like Grant Mordini, whom Self added last week.
Atticus Richmond has committed to Kansas.
— Mike Vernon (@M_Vernon) May 9, 2026
Flipped him from Columbia.
From one Ivy to another. pic.twitter.com/8R0yCHu59o
What will Atticus Richmond's likely role be at Kansas?
Like Mordini, Richmond seems to be a project. With the new NCAA rules that go into effect, there aren't any more walk-ons unless they were already grandfathered in. Now, all 15 players on the roster will be on scholarship, minus any program's previous walk-ons with eligibility left.
Mordini and Richmond will probably serve the role that used to be filled by the walk-ons. They will serve as the scout team, running the plays of upcoming opponents against the rotational players. It is an invaluable role for any team.
These players are often good enough to play at mid-majors or small schools but choose these roles just for the opportunity to play for a school like Kansas. Richmond initially committed to Columbia, in the Ivy League, but changed his mind and is now coming to Kansas.
Like the walk-ons of the past, these players might hope to see a handful of minutes late in games after the contest has been decided. These players often become fan favorites and will get plenty of loud cheers if they score in their limited minutes.
Occasionally, some of these developmental players actually develop enough to earn rotational minutes. A couple of notable people that earned minutes over time are Christian Moody and Mitch Lightfoot.
These players also offer depth in case of multiple injuries or extreme foul trouble. Even so, Richmond, like Mordini, isn't likely to play much as a freshman but could possibly improve enough over time to earn a spot in the rotation in the future. Still, it's great to see these players want to come to Kansas and play for Bill Self.
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