The Kansas basketball team is looking to be deeper and more athletic than it's been over the last four seasons. One player who will play a big role this year will be forward/center Davion Adkins.
Adkins will bring depth at two positions for KU and an increase in the overall level of athleticism to the team. On the radio program Hawk Talk last week, assistant coach Jeremy Case lauded Adkins and admitted the Kansas staff under-evaluated Adkins. Jayhawk Slant had the tweet.
Coach Case said Davion Adkins will rotate between the 4 and 5. Said he's a better shooter than the staff thought and is very athletic. Also said that Luke Barnett is a great shooter. Can really score from behind the arc. He also mentioned that Trent Perry is a glue guy, and they…
— JayhawkSlant (@JayhawkSlant) June 24, 2026
What will Davion Adkins bring to the Kansas basketball team this season?
The 247Sports evaluation from Adam Finkelstein a year ago noted how athletic and bouncy Adkins was, but how he needed to get better with his footwork and strength. He also said that Adkins was a rim protector and could be a terrific defensive player.
Finkelstein wrote this in the scouting report:
“He’s much more of a play finisher, than playmaker. He's just starting to develop some footwork around the paint and a jump hook, but needs to continue getting stronger, raise his release point in the lane, improve his right hand, and ability to put the ball on the floor when facing up.”
Case's remark about how Adkins was a better shooter than KU initially thought shows growth in the year since that 247Sports scouting report. It indicates that maybe Adkins can develop into the stretch four (or five) that the Jayhawks hoped Bryson Tiller would become (and still might at Missouri).
The plan to use Adkins at both the four and five spots is a good one. Adkins seems like a natural backup for transfer Keanu Dawes at the four, and the freshman might offer a slightly different skill set than the veteran at that position.
Using as extra depth at the five is also smart. Christian Reeves, if healthy, and Paul Mbiya will probably receive most of the minutes at center. Reeves health is a concern, and Mbiya is an excellent rim protector and athlete but is still raw offensively and is foul-prone.
Not only does Adkins seem like the likely backup for Dawes, but he also serves as insurance on the interior. This should give Adkins plenty of minutes to speed along his development and put him in a position to be an impactful starter in the future.
If he can develop some accuracy from three-point range, he can serve as that stretch four that is so important in today's game. The fact that he can also slide inside defensively is just an added bonus.
The scouting report also mentioned that Adkins was a finisher. Considering his bouncy athleticism, he seems like he might be a perfect fit for head coach Bill Self's lob plays in the half-court offense. If Adkins can master the pick-and-roll, he will be an exciting player to watch this season.
Case's comments on Adkins are very encouraging, and it seems like Adkins will be a major contributor off the bench this season. His versatility, athleticism, defense, and improved offense should give the freshman plenty of opportunities to shine this season.
Add us as a preferred source on Google