The transfer portal isn’t just helping Kansas basketball this season, it’s shaping it. Portal additions ahead of the 2025-26 season haven’t just been a luxury; they’ve been a necessity.
Here’s a breakdown of this season’s top transfer portal additions—and what’s clicking for the Jayhawks in early January.
Early returns suggest Melvin Council Jr.’s transfer was the right move
At St. Bonaventure, Council averaged 14.8 points across 34 games, with a season-high 24 coming against Fordham. So far this season, he’s well on pace to surpass that total.
After appearing in all 15 games this season for Kansas, Council is averaging 13.7 points, shooting 40.6% from the floor. The fourth-year senior also boasts an average of 4.3 rebounds and 5.1 assists per game.
In the nine games that Kansas played without Darryn Peterson, Council averaged 11.8 points per game, the most by any starting transfer on the active roster during that stretch. Against NC State, he went off, scoring a career-high 36 as the Jayhawks earned their first overtime victory of the season.
Grade: B+
Illinois to Kansas: Tre White has wasted no time locking in
Former Illinois guard Tre White committed to play for Kansas in April 2025. Similar to another former Jayhawks guard, AJ Storr, White is making his fourth appearance on his fourth different roster entering his second-to-last year of eligibility.
Thus far, he looks good, really good. White has averaged double figures in each of his last three seasons and currently sits on pace to shoot 50% from the field for the second year in a row. Safe to say his talent speaks for itself.
Like Council, White has played in all 15 games this season, averaging 15 points, just over seven rebounds, and is shooting an impressive 50.4% from the floor. The senior has scored in double figures 13 times this season and in six consecutive games dating back to Dec. 7 against Missouri.
Dare one compare him to Frank Mason III?
Grade: A+
Omaha native Jayden Dawson has yet to break out
On paper, Jayden Dawson has the potential to break out. The only problem is that it hasn’t happened yet. Another senior guard, Dawson, joins the Jayhawks after three seasons at Loyola-Chicago, fresh off his best season with the Ramblers. As a starter, Dawson averaged 29.6 minutes and 13.9 points per game during the 2024-25 season.
Also a senior, Dawson has yet to start a game for the Jayhawks. In all 12 games that he’s seen action, he's come off the bench. Dawson has played 20+ minutes in three games, but has yet to crack double figures in the scoring column.
He scored a season-high seven points at home earlier this year against Texas A&M–Corpus Christi, and against the right defense, he has the potential to explode. Even in one of the toughest conferences in college basketball, Dawson’s style of play shows he can keep up.
Grade: C+
International talent brings potential to Jayhawks roster
Prior to suiting up for the Jayhawks, Nginyu Ngala played in Canada. A fifth-year, Ngala is undoubtedly talented, but like Dawson, he's seen the floor sparingly.
According to his bio, Ngala spent three seasons with Dalhousie University in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada, where he averaged 10.9 points and 3.6 rebounds. He also played at Laurentian in 2024-25 where he averaged 14.9 points, 4.6 rebounds, and 3.1 assists per game.
Ngala has yet to suit up in conference play. He hasn’t played in regular competition since Dec. 22 against Davidson, nor has he scored points since Nov. 15 against Princeton.
Grade: Hard to say.
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