Jayden Dawson is one of the three senior transfers Kansas basketball added to the roster for the 2025-26 season. Melvin Council Jr. brings a tough, dedicated attitude to the team, while Tre White excels at finishing at the rim.
All three of these transfers have played a lot of college basketball. Dawson may have the least court time of the three, but he did start all 32 games last year and added 15 more during his sophomore season. He played all three seasons at Loyola-Chicago, while Council and White played at multiple schools before coming to Kansas.
The easy comparison for Dawson is Zeke Mayo, who also put in his time at a mid-major, playing three years at South Dakota State before transferring to Kansas last year. Dawson’s competition was probably a level above that of Mayo’s before coming to KU, so there is no reason to doubt Dawson can compete in the Big 12.
What will Jayden Dawson bring to the Kansas basketball team?
Much like Mayo, Dawson is a good spot-up shooter and is effective from beyond the arc. Over his first three seasons, he's been successful on 36.7 percent of his three-pointers, slightly lower than Mayo's. Still, with defenses focusing on Darryn Peterson and Flory Bidunga, Dawson should have plenty of opportunities to spot up for some open looks.
The Mainely Hoops scouting report indicates he is an effective shooter off the bounce, and he has a quick, efficient release. The report also hinted that he won't be someone who finishes nicely at the rim, especially if the play is physical. That's alright; the Jayhawks should have several other options who can excel in this area.
He can handle the ball well enough, but Self won’t want to use him as the primary ball handler. Mainely Hoops thinks he is fast enough and big enough to stick with any guard he’s asked to defend. Though not a spectacular defender, he won’t be a liability when he’s on the court. He might have a slight edge there over Mayo.
Dawson will be a role player, albeit one who gets plenty of playing time. All of these scouting notes are before head coach Bill Self and his staff work with him. While he is a solid player, there is still room for improvement, and if the staff can get more out of him, he is going to be a significant player for Kansas basketball this season.