Kansas basketball head coach Bill Self is off to a slow start in the transfer portal this offseason, but the two players he has added appear to be great additions to the program.
Last week, forward Keanu Dawes, a transfer from Utah, committed and has one more year of eligibility. On Monday, point guard Leroy Blyden Jr. transferred from Toledo with three years of eligibility.
Both fit in nicely with the five players already on the roster, and it allows Self and his staff to focus on reeling in Tyran Stokes and a quality big man or two.
How will Keanu Dawes and Leroy Blyden Jr. help Kansas?
Blyden might be the gem of this transfer class, regardless of what other players Kansas adds. ESPN Insider Jeff Borzello called Blyden “one of the best freshman point guards in the country.”
Kansas building out its backcourt alongside Taylen Kinney. Leroy Blyden was one of the best freshman point guards in the country last season, earning all-league honors and winning MAC Freshman of the Year. https://t.co/5uXGkGD1Hd
— Jeff Borzello (@jeffborzello) April 20, 2026
One of the things KU has missed for several seasons is two strong point guards. Next season, the Jayhawks will have incoming freshman Tylan Kinney and sophomore Blyden. Both can create and score. They can each be the primary point guard or play off each other if they are on the court at the same time. Having these two guys on the roster may hint at a more up-tempo pace on offense.
Last season at Toledo, Blyden averaged 16.4 points a game, 4.5 assists, 4 rebounds, 1.8 steals, and just 1.9 turnovers. He made 50.7 percent of his two-point attempts, 40.7 percent of his shots behind the arc, and 84.6 percent of his free throws. He may need to get a little stronger to handle the beef in the Big 12, but his skills are enticing.
Dawes is a proven player in the Big 12. He spent two seasons at Utah after one at Rice. He's improved statistically every year, and last season, he averaged 12.8 points per game, 8.8 rebounds, and 2.2 assists. Furthermore, he connected on 68.2 percent of his two-point attempts and has some ability from three, nailing 31.3 percent.
He had one of his best games of the season against Kansas when he went 10-13 from the field for a season-high 22 points while pulling down 12 boards. He is strong around the rim, both when trying to score and when fighting for rebounds. He offers a physical four-man that KU lacked last season.
Both players will offer a degree of experience the rest of the current roster lacks. Only Kohl Rosario has college experience, and his playing time wasn't consistent. Dawes averaged 30.8 minutes last year and has averaged 24.4 minutes a game over his three-year career. Blyden put in 33.4 minutes a game as a freshman.
Self hasn't brought in much in the way of quantity from the portal yet, but the quality of the two players he has recruited is outstanding.
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