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Kansas basketball's projected starting lineup gives a great sense of Jayhawk potential

The Kansas Jayhawks must show improvement from last season several spots.
ByConnor Mardian|
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Mar 22, 2026; San Diego, CA, USA; Kansas Jayhawks head coach Bill Self reacts in the first half against the St. John's Red Storm during a second round game of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Viejas Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
Mar 22, 2026; San Diego, CA, USA; Kansas Jayhawks head coach Bill Self reacts in the first half against the St. John's Red Storm during a second round game of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Viejas Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

There has been a lot said about Kansas’ 2026 classes.

Through the freshman ranks, there is little room for improvement. KU is reeling in two five-stars and three four-stars, all of whom would factor into major minutes at most universities. It doesn’t hurt that one of the aforementioned five-stars happens to be the nation’s No. 1 player in Tyran Stokes, and that every recruit in the freshman class (barring Grant Mordini and Atticus Richmond, who figure as bench players) is inside the top 120 best players in the class. 

Meanwhile, coming from the NCAA Transfer Portal is a class with fewer raving recruits: Dennis Parker Jr. is a guard/forward transfer from Radford; Christian Reeves, a transfer center from the College of Charleston; Leroy Blyden Jr. a combo guard from Toledo; and power forward Keanu Dawes, who hails from Utah. 

By no means is Kansas’ transfer portal class bad. Their floor from last season has been raised significantly, but questions over the height of the ceiling are ever-present. 

All of this makes sense as to why Jeff Borzello ranked KU where he did in his latest article titled “Men's NCAA basketball 2026-27 Way-Too-Early Top 25 rankings.”

Kansas planted just inside the top 25

Borzello rated the Jayhawks as the nation’s No. 23 team. 

Firstly, it will come as no surprise to find out Borzello tabbed Stokes as the team’s most important player. This feels like a team built for the all-around game that Stokes offers. 

When being tasked with naming Kansas’ starting lineup, Borzello made one ambitious choice.

PG: Leroy Blyden Jr. 

SG: Taylen Kinney 

SF: Tyran Stokes 

PF: Keanu Dawes 

C: Christian Reeves 

For one, most reports have come to a consensus that Blyden and Kinney can both be profiled as combo guards. That being said, it would probably make more sense for Kinney to be listed as the point guard, but that is nothing major. 

The biggest decision Borzello faced was deciding between Reeves and sophomore Paul Mbiya at the center spot. 

The injury-ridden Reeves will be getting back to full fitness just before the season starts, so it would be no surprise to see Mbiya handle a start of the season that comprises Fordham and Middle Tennessee before things amp up against Kentucky. The question is whether or not Mbiya snatches the starting job by the scruff of the neck or allows Reeves to creep in and grab it for himself. 

Last season, Mbiya totaled 26 points, 30 rebounds and five blocks over 21 games. Of those 21, Mbiya notched 10+ minutes in just four. 

Meanwhile, Reeves averaged 11.1 points, 7.8 rebounds and 1.4 blocks for a Cougars side that finished 21-11, ending his one season with the school with an All-CAA Third Team and a CAA All-Defensive Team nomination.

Overall, this team greatly addresses the depth issue that was present last season, as Parker, either Reeves or Mbiya and possibly Davion Adkins, Luke Barnett, or Trent Perry could make an impact with a bench already taken up by returning sophomore Kohl Rosario. 

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