Kansas Jayhawks receive commitment from talented Florida transfer Riley Kugel

The Kansas Jayhawks have recieved their first transfer commitment of the off-season. Riley Kugel announced his commitment to the Jayhawks early this afternoon on social media.

KU was linked to Kugel from the second he entered the transfer portal, and he dropped a top four of UConn, Houston, Arizona, and Kansas just a day after entering the portal.

Kugel is a 6-foot-5, 207-pound wing from Orlando, Florida. Kugel was originally a four-star recruit coming out of high school, where he was rated as the No. 56 player in the 247 Sports Composite rankings. Kugel is rated as a four-star transfer prospect on 247 Sports transfer rankings as well.

Kugel spent his first two years at Florida where he averaged 9.5 points, 3.2 rebounds, and 1.2 assists per game across 65 games. His freshman season drew a lot of attention after he averaged 9.9 points, 2.8 rebounds, and 1.0 assists per game on 45% shooting from the field and 37% from beyond the arc.

Kugel had legitimate NBA draft buzz as a result of a strong finish to his freshman season, but inconsistency and falling out of favor with Florida head coach Todd Golden saw regression in his sophomore season. Kugel did have 25 points against Baylor and 22 points against Auburn, so the upside is still really high for Kugel.

Shot selection for Kugel could be improved and with Bill Self, that should be attainable with the kind of offense the Jayhawks run. Florida's offense was a lot less structured than what Bill Self will be running at Kansas, which should help Kugel with his efficiency.

Now the fit for Kugel at Kansas can be very good. Kansas basketball was severely lacking athleticism and shot creation at the guard spot, and Kugel brings both great athleticism and the ability to create and make tough shots. Kugel certainly will have a chance to earn a starting spot at Kansas, and if he does, it will be a great sign that Kugel has gotten back to his freshman-season self.