The Kansas Jayhawks may have enlisted a new “cult hero.” Having been one of three transfers joining the program since last season, combo guard Melvin Council Jr. has quickly made a name for himself.
Council’s gritty drives to the paint, combined with his strong ability and hard defense will warm him up to a fanbase which is seeing nine new players join the fray in an attempt to rid the demons of last season’s 21-13 record, and a continued march for the Houston Cougars who staked their claim as the Big 12’s best team for the second-straight season.
Council was rated as a .9300 transfer according to 247Sports. Council hails from St. Bonaventure. During Council's first and only season with St. Bonaventure, Council averaged 14.6 points per game, 2.1 steals, 4.1 assists, 5.4 rebounds, and 1.7 turnovers. Council twice scored 24 points last season, the first a 74-70 win over Providence, the second a 86-66 win over Fordham. Council showed effortless scoring at points with a 49.2% rate on two-point field goals; however, his three-point range is streaky as Council converted just 29.9% of his three-pointers.
When speaking with the media after Kansas’ 71-35 win over Division-II side Fort Hays State, head coach Bill Self spoke on Council.
“He'll be a fan favorite when you play that hard and play with pace and energy and, you know, he'll make some mistakes, but most of the mistakes that he makes is out of being aggressive and trying hard.”
In Council’s two exhibitions against the No. 11 Louisville Cardinals and Fort Hays State, Council notched a 6-15 rate from the field, along with a superb 15-16 mark from the free-throw line.
Council’s elite passing range has been on display with 10 assists and just three turnovers. The first chance to see Council and the Jayhawks in action is this Monday against Green Bay from the Horizon League. Last season, the Phoenix went 4-28. Tipoff is set for 7 p.m. CT with streaming available on ESPN+
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