The Kansas basketball team has been linked to dozens of transfers since the Jayhawks were eliminated from the NCAA Tournament in the Round of 32. Bill Self and his coaching staff have plenty of work to do this offseason after suffering one of the worst seasons in recent KU history.
While it is extremely early in the process, Coach Self is close to landing his first transfer of the cycle. Florida transfer Riley Kugel announced he would enter the transfer portal earlier this week and narrowed his list down to four schools, Kansas being one of them.
Excited to announce the 4 schools that I've decided to focus my attention on during my transfer process! I'm appreciative of the other schools who considered me for their program.🙏🏽 pic.twitter.com/kfWQ5wWlzp
— Riley Kugel (@RileyKugel) March 28, 2024
Riley Kugel could be the first transfer portal addition for the Kansas Jayhawks
A 6-foot-5 guard from Orlando, Florida, Kugel spent two years at UF with the Gators before entering the portal. He made the SEC All-Freshman Team last year but saw his numbers dip this year. In 33 games (11 starts), he averaged 9.2 points, 3.5 rebounds, 1.5 assists, and 1.1 steals on 39.4% field goal shooting, 31.2% 3-point shooting, and 69.6% free throw shooting.
While his numbers do not jump off the page, his game film is very impressive. He scores most of his points at the rim, either cutting to the basket or taking it to the rack himself. At Florida, he did not handle the ball often but showed flashes of being able to create separation off the dribble.
Kugel is considering Kansas, Houston, UConn, and Arizona, which are some of the best programs in the country. His athleticism and potential are clearly viewed highly by many teams, even if he struggled at times during the 2023-24 season.
As most Kansas basketball fans already know, the transfer portal is a long process. Kugel will likely visit some or all of the campuses of the schools he is considering and could take weeks to decide. However, this is the first final list the Jayhawks have made, so he is a player that fans should continue to monitor.