As of publishing, the Kansas basketball program is in a state of extreme flux. Kansas is set to lose Bryson Tiller, Paul Mbiya, Elmarko Jackson, and Flory Bidunga all to the NCAA Transfer Portal.
By the way, said Portal literally just opened, so there is ample time for anyone on the fence to make their decisions.
Combine all these possible exits with the ongoing recruiting battle for the nation’s No. 1 prospect, Tyran Stokes, and the word flux grows heavier and heavier with meaning.
Of course, with the portal, things can quite easily flip on a dime, so maybe Kansas will be able to land one of the best portal classes in the country, and also acquire Stokes, and the Jayhawks are golden.
But ESPN isn’t playing in maybes right now with Jeff Borzello’s way too early top 25 rankings.
Kansas misses out in startling list
Let’s take a bit of a step back and think about this. Right now, who are the qualifying Jayhawks are guaranteed (or are currenly on their current roster,) to keep?
Recruiting rankings are drawn from 247Sports, along with their class by the time next season rolls around.
Corbin Allen So. (G) three-star
Samis Calderon So. (F) four-star
Kohl Rosario So. (G) four-star
Jamari McDowell R Jr. (G) four-star
And here is who Kansas is bringing in from the high school ranks.
Taylen Kinney (G) five-star
Davion Adkins (C) four-star
Trent Perry (SF) four-star
Luke Barnett (SG) four-star.
Kansas was selected in Borzello’s “next in line” category, and when you look at the players KU are set to bring back maybe that ranking feels more and more fair.
Kansas must land Stokes and make a splash in the portal to boost their stock
Of course, the Jayhawks are going to make moves in the portal. With the departing Bidunga and Mbiya, Somto Cyril might just be the best Bidunga replacement out there right now.
While Stokes hasn’t signed with Kansas yet, the feeling appears to be swinging that way. So those two acquisitions alone must move the Jayhawks from an outside “fringe” team to comfortably inside the rankings.
Yet if you haven’t been able to tell by the blistering last week for Kansas, nothing seems as predictable as it once did. While Self has had his share of hits and misses in the portal, no previous team has felt so dependent on it as this incoming 2026/27 iteration of the Kansas Jayhawks.
Make sure to bookmark Through the Phog and follow us on X and Facebook with the username @Throughthephog