The Kansas basketball roster is getting a complete makeover this offseason. After losing six players to the transfer portal and facing a rough past two seasons, head coach Bill Self is ready to hit reset in a big way. The Jayhawks are bringing in two talented guards from the portal and somehow pulled off a surprise by getting Flory Bidunga to return.
The goal now is to build a more well-balanced team around incoming freshman Darryn Peterson. Peterson is the No. 1 overall recruit in the 2025 class and a projected top-3 pick in the NBA Draft. He is expected to carry a huge load as a freshman, but he will not be doing it alone.
Backcourt contributors Elmarko Jackson and Jamari McDowell are coming back for another year, and KU has added Tre White and Jayden Dawson from the transfer portal to provide some firepower. Still, Self and Co. are not done shopping around for guards, and a new name recently popped up.
St. Bonaventure transfer guard Melvin Council Jr. tells @On3sports he’s down to four schools (in no order):
— Joe Tipton (@TiptonEdits) April 9, 2025
Kansas, Mississippi State, Georgia, & Georgia Tech
The 6-4 senior averaged 14.6 points, 5.4 rebounds, and 4.1 assists per game this season. Represented by… pic.twitter.com/dn3G5WuoRU
Melvin Council Jr. could be KU's next transfer addition
Melvin Council Jr., a New York native, has emerged as a serious target for the Jayhawks in recent days. He recently narrowed his list of schools to four, and Kansas made the cut. The other three schools in the running are Mississippi State, Georgia, and Georgia Tech.
After two years at Monroe College, Council transferred to Wagner, where he helped the Seahawks make the 2024 NCAA Tournament. He then took his talents to St. Bonaventure, where he became an absolute standout. He earned All-A-10 Third Team honors after averaging 14.6 points, 5.4 rebounds, 4.1 assists, and 2.1 steals per game.
He started all 34 games for the Bonnies and logged an eye-popping 37.1 minutes per contest. That kind of stamina along with his impressive defensive metrics would fit right in with Coach Self’s system.
Council confirmed with The Kansas City Star that he plans to visit Lawrence soon, although there is no set date yet. While he has not set a commitment timeline, the Jayhawks are clearly one of his top options. KU fans should definitely keep an eye out for his recruitment in the coming days, especially if he sets a visit date.