To fit in as a true freshman at any school is a tall task. To do it at Kansas, with fellow classmate being Darryn Peterson, adds that much more to the task. Samis Calderon is a freshman forward still carving out playing time for this stacked Kansas team, yet his potential from his time at Overtime Elite is evident.
Hailing as the nation’s 84th-ranked recruit in the class of 2025, Calderon has seen the court in just seven games this season, with Kansas’ 73-49 win over the Towson Tigers being his most minutes (14). Calderon has totaled five points on 2-5 shooting, two steals, three blocks, four assists, three fouls, and two turnovers.
In Calderon’s last season for the Cold Hearts of the OTE, he averaged 8.4 points, 5.5 rebounds, 2.7 assists, and 1.5 blocked shots per game in 2024-25. Something of note though, is his levelling up in the playoffs, where he averaged 14.2 points, 6.8 rebounds, 2.8 assists, and 1.3 blocked shots in the 2025 playoffs, including two 20+-point games in the 2025 playoffs, where Calderon’s Hearts finished in the semi-finals.
Calderon will likely spend the first year of his career in a bit-part role. However, that is no indictment of Calderon’s ability. The Brazilian holds a 7-foot-2 wingspan with great athleticism for his size, and a strong defensive sense, which will be valuable in the coming seasons for Kansas, with a few more chances this season to impress head coach Bill Self.
Kansas’ next matchup is against the UCF Golden Knights in what will open up conference play. Tipoff is set for January 3rd at 1 p.m. CT with streaming available on Peacock.
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