Jayhawks Rumors: Latest Darius Acuff buzz confirms Kansas will be a player to land him

Bill Self and the Kansas basketball program have put together one of the most successful offseasons in the country since the year concluded. The Jayhawks will enter the 2024-25 campaign among the top favorites to win a national title after bringing in three transfers and returning multiple significant players from the previous roster.

KU is one of just seven schools that has not lost a player to the portal thus far, but the coaching staff did lose a key high school commitment this week. Top-30 PG Labaron Philon requested a release from his National Letter of Intent before playing a game in Lawrence, a player that fans were very high on from the start.

While the loss of Philon is significant, every tale has several angles. Kansas supporters might just receive some good news at the end of this process, as there is a good chance Philon leaving the program is directly tied to a 2025 recruit the Jayhawks hosted on an official visit over the weekend.

Kansas basketball among the favorites to land 5-star PG Darius Acuff

Acuff, a 6-foot-3 PG who attends IMG Academy, began to pick up steam with the Jayhawks after it was revealed that he would embark on a visit to the KU campus beginning last Friday. He is the No. 4 overall player in 247 Sports' Class of 2025 rankings and one of the most dynamic players in his graduating year.

Some rumors suggested the visit between the two parties went extremely well. Only a few days later, Philon decided to part ways with the Jayhawks after being committed for over seven months. Coincidence? We don't think so.

With longtime starter Dajuan Harris set to graduate after this upcoming season, a replacement would be needed eventually. Freshmen do not typically step foot at Kansas and immediately start for Self, but this isn't your average recruit — Acuff is widely considered the top PG in his class.

The Jayhawks have been connected to several transfer portal entries and could return both Elmarko Jackson and Jamari McDowell. Needless to say, Allen Fieldhouse will have no shortage of guard depth. It's hard to blame Philon for wanting to seek a more favorable opportunity, but Kansas might benefit from this situation in the long run.