Kansas basketball still in the hunt for high-flying Illinois transfer portal entry

Kansas basketball recently lost out on one of its top transfer portal targets, with Josh Dix committing to Creighton. Former UCF guard Keyshawn Hall also pledged to Auburn. The Jayhawks currently have six departures and zero additions from the portal a few weeks into the offseason.

But as fans have learned in past years, a player could transfer to a new school at any given time — David Coit was an unexpected addition in August of last year.

Now, Bill Self and his coaching staff will pivot to other options on the open market. One player that could be an intriguing addition is Illinois transfer Tre White. The 6-foot-7 guard recently cut his list of schools to six, Kansas included.

Tre White narrows list to six schools, includes Kansas basketball

In addition to the Jayhawks, White will decide between St. John’s, Oklahoma, Mississippi State, Cincinnati, and USC. The Dallas native has previously spent time at USC (freshman year) and Louisville (sophomore year) before heading to Champaign.

White was a starter on a very talented Illinois squad this season. He averaged 10.5 points and 5.5 rebounds on 50.7% field goal shooting (32.9% 3-point shooting). Since his perimeter game is limited, he does most of his damage as a cutter and around the rim, shooting a terrific 64% at the basket in 2024-25.

A capable rebounder with size, White would fit in seamlessly in Coach Self's system. He is an elite transition player with above-average athleticism. Furthermore, he has improved his driving skills since arriving in college.

White is a very realistic addition for KU to target. He is likely not going to commend a lucrative NIL deal and could be a Day 1 starter for the Jayhawks alongside freshman Darryn Peterson. If his decision is coming soon, he could very well be KU's first transfer of the offseason.