Kansas basketball: Could Jayhawks pursue high-profile transfer guard in the portal?

Two years ago, Mikey Williams committed to Memphis. The Internet phenom with over four million followers on Instagram was arguably the most high-profile recruit in college basketball. However, he got caught up with legal issues before he played a game with the Tigers and faced up to nine felony charges before pleading guilty to only one in November.

Memphis had been attempting to clear his name for quite a long time, but Williams recently decided a change of scenery was the best course of action for him. He entered his name into the transfer portal yesterday.

Could Bill Self and Kansas be a potential suitor for the hoops sensation?

Despite maintaining a top-3 national ranking for over a month, Kansas basketball continues to struggle with bench production. The starting five often have to stay out for prolonged stretches so things don't go south, especially with the up-and-down play of guards like Elmarko Jackson and Nick Timberlake.

When he was initially being recruited out of high school, Kansas was a program near the top of his list. He took an official visit to Lawrence and reportedly had developed a close relationship with the coaches. Although he has yet to play a collegiate game, the Jayhawks might benefit if they were to add Williams, a score-first 6-foot-3 combo guard with a deep offensive skill set.

The Kansas basketball coaching staff might be reluctant to go after someone with a troubled history after the Arterio Morris fallout over the offseason. Additionally, it is rather late in the season to start searching for new contributors.

It is unknown whether KU has made contact with Williams yet, nor is it understood if he is willing to serve in a reserve role off the bench. But with his past connections to Kansas, history suggests that fans should at least keep an eye out to see if Coach Self pursues him.