The Kansas basketball team has not had much luck in the transfer portal during the past few seasons. Sure, head coach Bill Self brought in Hunter Dickinson for two years. While the big fella was a terrific college basketball player, Self was unable to surround him with enough talent for Kansas to perform at the levels expected.
This season, Self hit the jackpot. He added four transfers. Two were complementary pieces, and two turned out to be key components. While Jayden Dawson and Nginyu Ngala filled specific depth roles, Tre White and Melvin Council Jr. are starters, and the Jayhawks would not have finished third in the Big 12 without them.
While White has been a steady performer all year, bringing a blue-collar work ethic and skills that he knows how to use consistently. He had plenty of experience playing against top competition, playing for USC, Louisville, and Illinois in his previous three collegiate stops.
Melvin Council Jr. has been fantastic and is a fan favorite for Kansas basketball
While fans love White, they adore Melvin Council Jr. He has something about him that fans love. He has a dog attitude, and he absolutely loves wearing the Kansas uniform, and it shows every game.
Council took a far different path to Jayhawk fame than White. Council played two years at a junior college, then went to Wagner. From there, he played at St. Bonaventure before landing at Kansas.
He did not play against the same competition that White did, but it hasn't mattered. Council has proved over and over that he belongs in the Big 12 and at Kansas. He plays hard all the time, makes big plays when needed, and projects that “dawg” mentality that makes fans love him so much.
College basketball is much like the Wild, Wild West right now. The NCAA waited far too long to recognize the changing landscape of college athletics, and now the players hold all the power. They have the support of the court system, and it might be a while before some kind of structure is established.
One of the things that has come about is if a player competed at the junior college level for a year, the athlete is awarded a fifth college year of eligibility. While Council did attend a juco, he played there for two years, not one. Technically, this season at Kansas was his extra year.
There is always a chance Council could take his course to court. The judicial system has made some head-scratching rulings in favor of the athletes, but this one seems cut and dried. Council has already participated in five seasons of basketball, two in junior college and three at the NCAA level.
As much as fans would love to see Council in the crimson and blue for another year, it would take a miracle for that to happen. While the connection between Council and KU fans has been incredible, it is destined for just the one season.
It should not dampen fans enthusiasm for Council. He will be fondly remembered as a Jayhawk for a long time, as will White. Both of these men played the game the right way, and it is regrettable that it was for only one year. Fans are happy, however, that they did get that one season!
Self has set a new bar for himself for transfers. He has to find players who want to play for the name on the front of the jerseys more than the name on the back.
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