It is difficult to quantify team chemistry and the effects it can have on a sports team. Evidently, this Kansas basketball team has great chemistry, and that can't be a bad thing.
Sometimes great team chemistry can propel a team to overachieve. One of the best examples of this is the 2014 and 2015 Kansas City Royals. The chemistry was so good, it turned a decent team, with mostly average to above-average players, into World Champions. Chemistry and an incredible bullpen raised that team to heights their talent level couldn't justify.
Whether the chemistry on this KU team is strong enough to lift it to championship levels of play remains to be seen, but it certainly won't hurt.
Tre White thinks the chemistry on this Kansas basketball team is like a "brotherhood"
White has been a pleasant surprise for the Jayhawks. Because of his experience in big conferences, fans hoped he would be good, but they've been burned by transfers in the recent past.
White has been instrumental in KU's solid play. He's averaging 14.3 points per game, 7.1 rebounds, and 2.1 assists. He's shooting 53.4 percent from the field and an incredible 85.2 percent from the line, on 61 attempts. Furthermore, he also brings a toughness and intensity that is a pleasure to watch.
He has been one of the players, along with Melvin Council Jr. and Flory Bidunga, who've kept Kansas chugging along as Darryn Peterson has dealt with a hamstring injury.
White credits a closeness, a "brotherhood," with his teammates for how well the Jayhawks have been playing. In an article for On3 (subscription required), White spoke about how well his teammates get along, on and off the court, and how that chemistry has made things easier during games.
#kubball fans have got to love this quote from @TreWhite19! He’s been an absolute stud this season, and he just seems to have that “it factor”, both on and off the court.
— JayhawkSlant (@JayhawkSlant) December 9, 2025
“We just like each other,” said White. “Like off the court, you know, it’s deeper than basketball. We’re a…
When teammates get along and are committed to doing what is best for each other, the results tend to be positive. Head coach Bill Self has to be thrilled his team is so close. He probably hopes for this every season, but it didn't look like that closeness existed in recent seasons, and the results suffered.
If Peterson can get to being 100 percent healthy, this team is talented enough and well-rounded enough to make some noise in the Big 12 Conference. If these players are as close as White says, that might lift them even higher.
Maybe this Kansas basketball team will be one that supports the theory that team chemistry can make a good team great and can help cover whatever warts might exist. With a star like Peterson and a stronger-than-expected supporting cast, the Jayhawks may continue to surprise.