Kansas basketball head Bill Self added another big piece, figurative and literal, to his 2026 roster. Michael Swain on 247Sports reported that seven-footer Mihailo Musikic has committed to KU for the upcoming season.
Whether Musikic ever gets to play at Kansas might still be in doubt, however. In May, the NCAA outlined some new upcoming guidelines regarding international rules. Kevin Sweeney with SI.com outlined these changes and how they might affect college basketball recruiting.
The gist is that depending on age and how much money an international player has earned in professional leagues, it might affect their eligibility to play college in the United States. Musikic is 24 and had played for five years in the Serbia KLS, which is a pro league.
Serbian big man Mihailo Mušikić has picked Kansas.
— Michael Swain (@MSwain247) July 14, 2026
More on his background and path to getting eligible:https://t.co/NVjn5dWKZJ
How will Mihailo Musikic help the Kansas basketball team if he is eligible?
No one knows yet when the new NCAA rules will be put into place or how they will be enforced. One has to think Self and Kansas have checked in with the NCAA to see if he has a chance to be eligible. Of course, the school hasn't announced anything concerning Musikic, so the Jayhawks have to be cautious.
With Christian Reeves recovering from surgery, Paul Mybya and Davion Adkins are the only players who can play the five position. Grant Mordini is also on the roster, but he is considered more of a developmental player right now rather than someone who can play meaningful minutes in big ball games.
According to Swain, Musikic averaged 11.7 points per game, 5.9 rebounds, 2.0 assists, and .7 blocks in his time in the Serbia KLS.
These numbers don't scream dominating center, but at 24 with experience, he'll be competing against players with much less overall experience, and he's probably more fully developed physically than some of the players he might go up against.
If Musikic is ruled eligible and does attend Kansas, he seems like he will serve strictly as insurance for if Reeves doesn't return as soon as hoped. Mbiya seems like the logical choice to step in as the starter, considering he has a year in the program already and will be fully familiar with Self's system.
Adkins should get plenty of time backing up Keanu Dawes and Mbiya, with Musikic filling in behind the freshman. If Musikic makes it onto campus, he will be behind everyone else as far as getting integrated into the system.
KU will need Musikic mostly as a rim protector and a rebounder. The Jayhawks have added players who will improve the latter, but with Reeves out, someone will need to help in this area.
Everyone is waiting to see if he is ruled eligible by the NCAA and is clear to play. Until then, Self will probably be fairly close-mouthed about the situation. At this point, it is difficult to get excited about a player when no one knows for sure whether he's going to play or not.
It is also challenging when there isn't much in the way of scouting reports or highlights. Maybe some of these things will emerge over time.
Musikic can surely add value if he does join the Jayhawks, especially with Reeves' health questions. Finding depth on the interior this late in the recruiting season is nearly impossible, but Kansas and Self may just have found an answer. It will be interesting to see how this all works out and how much he can contribute.
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